History
„And why should that be impossible if I might ask?" Arthur requests.
„Because Arthur Pendragon died nearly 120 years ago"
Arthur looks at Joseph, lets his eyes travel to Josephs wife and settles them on their son. He closes his eyes and furrows his brows. 120 Years! That is why everything is so different but feels oddly familiar...I actually died...GWEN!...no, no, no, no, no, no, no...this cannot be...
„Gwen...you mean Queen Guinevere, don´t you?" Joseph asks, interrupting Arthur who was unknowingly thinking outloud. Arthur stops his mumbling abruptly when he hears his wifes name. It takes him a few minutes to gather his thoughts and find the strenght to answer the question.
„Yes...but if what you say is true she must have died a long time ago. You have travelled these lands and must have heard quite a lot of the peoples talk. Please, tell me everything you know, I´m begging you." If the people around the fire did not believe Arthur at first they had to believe him now. He looked like he just lost the battle that dooms a whole kingdom and at the same time he is putting all his heart in pleading to find out what happened to his loved ones.
„I´ve heard quite a lot about you Arthur" Joseph begins his story with Arthur leaning towards him as if not to miss anything.
„The people say that you were...excuse me for this...quite arrogant as a boy. But the older you got the more potential you were showing to become a great King. The people loved you and you were known to show mercy and to help even the poorest people. Some believed that you were even more understanding towards the magical world and that you tried to stand up for the inocent even when your father was still King. Then, in an important battle for life and death of the people in Camelot you were mortally wounded and the great Warlock Merlin himself tried his best to safe..." At the mention of Merlin Arthurs eyes grow wide and Joseph and his small family can only see sadness and regret on the Kings face. The he again furrows his eyes at something he does not quite understand.
„Wait...great Warlock?"
„Oh yes, Merlin is the most powerfull Warlock there ever was...and probably there ever will be. Before your death nobody even knew of his existence but after Queen Guinevere legalized Magic..."
„Why did you stop?" Arthur asks after Jospeh stopped mid sentence with an expecting look on his face.
„Well, I just guessed you would be...confused"
„Guinevere and I always knew where the other stood. We talked about magic a lot and we both came to the conclusion that it was not evil itself but a mere tool for evil to gain power. All I ever saw of magic was when it was used against Camelot and it was hard to overcome this instand fear upon seeing magic being performed. There always were people who were using magic for good, my father lost sight of it in his fear and hatred. The plan was to ultimatly legalize magic but it was not easy to show empathy to it without losing the support of the people. How did Gwen manage it? And did it work?" At this Josephs wife sights in relief and the family of three seemingly loose a lot of tension they were building up. Helena continues the story.
„It was rather simple for her I guess. Everybody loved the Queen and many knew her when she was just a maid. When Merlin returned and the news of your death was told in every household in Camelot, nobody could have wished for a better Queen. She was a strong woman and soon she held an open speech to the people in which she was talking about you and your dream of a united Camelot where everybody is welcome and nobody would be feared because of who they are. She talked about Merlin who had used magic to save you for many years before you even knew that he had magic at all. She also pointed out that it was Merlin who – in the disguise of an old man – saved Camelot from destruction in the last battle. It was the beginning of a new time...a better time. Only a few years later it was the most normal thing to walk over the market in Camelot and watch people waiting in long lines in front of a healers house or kids looking in awe at a druid who lets a glowing unicorn built purely out of light run over the fields. Since then there have been no great conflicts or wars. The people are healthy and happy." She finishes smiling at her family. Arthur is proud. Proud that Guinevere had built something so good, so pure. But then another thought goes through his mind.
„What about Gwen? Was she happy? How...how did she..."
„She missed you, that I know for sure. But she never was alone even though she never remarried. Only 8 month after she opened the gates for magic she had a Son." Arthurs jaw drops and sharply inhales. Gwen was pregnant? A son? I am a father? How could I have missed that?
„Your sons name was Astor. He was known to be very loyal and brave. He married a girl from a healers family and after Queen Guinevere died...she died peacefully in her sleep when she was an old lady...he became a good King who ruled for many many years. Right now William, the husband of Astors late daughter Marianne, would be king in Camelot but he is of old age and cannot do much anymore. So he gave the crown to his son Sebolt, your great grandson. King Sebolt and his wife Idrid have a lovely little girl of ten years with the name Dorothea. She is your great great granddaughter." That was a lot to take in. Arthur sits in front of the fire and cannot think anymore. The information that he had a son was wild enough...but that he also had a grandaughter, a great grandson and a great great granddaughter is just mindblowing. In shock Arthur just stares at the woman who just told him about all his descendants and tears are bilding up in his eyes. He tries to dry them with his sleeve but does not quite achieve his goals. After a moment Joseph turns to him.
„I will take a wild guess and say that you need some time to progress all this. It is getting late. Why dont we settle down for the night and talk about it on our way to Camelot tomorrow morning. We were already going to walk there and I think I am right when I say that you will be going there too." he says, stands up and takes some blankets from a pile. He takes one and gives it to Arthur.
„Thank you. And yes, it would be great if we would go there together" he says and makes himself comfortable. He closes his eyes but he cannot find the peace to actually fall asleep. His mind is racing and there are still so many questions he needs to be answered. So many faits he wants to hear about even though it will hurt to know that he was not there when his friends might have needed him. And one big question is building up in his mind that will not be that easy to find an answer to.
But why would I come back now? There must be a reason for me to come back. But all I hear is good: no wars, no battles, a good King, people live in peace. What am I supposed to do? Go back to Camelot and rule with my kin?Arthur is mumbling his thoughts while lying sleepless in the darkness.
I dont even know them. Everybody I know is already dead by now...Gwen, the knights, Merlin, Gaius...he continues mumbling.
„Not all of them are dead, my Lord" comes a whisper from the other side of a tree where the younger man had settled down for the night. Arthur raises a brow in a questioning gesture. How should that be possible. They must be nearly 150 years or older by now!
„The great Warlock is still alive" he mumbles before falling asleep only seconds later.
Thank you so much for your uplifting reviews. Of course I will continue this story. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Take care!
