Author's notes: I'm back bitches! Vacations are over, a new year has already begun, it's time for me to get back in the game. Alright, it took me some effort to get back in gear to write this chapter after my holydays, but now I'm back and ready to continue with the updates. So let's begin already…
Disclaimer: I own nothing; Fate/Stay Night belongs to Type-Moon/ Kinoko Nasu. Dragon Age belongs to Bioware and Satan, I mean EA.
Chapter 5
Late night misadventures.
The once and future king let out a sigh of frustration as she struggled to drag a clearly inebriated Lancelot outside the interior of the most popular inn known on Denerim's market and into the cold dark streets. As usual when presented with the opportunity to engage in some revelry, Lancelot did not wasted any time to get himself heavy on drinks and started flirting with any young maiden that passed in front of his eyes. Much to Arturia's consternation.
When she first had asked Lancelot to help her interact more closely with other fellow humans and develop her social skills for casual settings, the Knight of the Lake had been a bit reluctant in partaking in the usual level of festivity that he tends to lose himself into every time he wants to lay down his burdens, if only for a moment, and forget all of his worries so he could simply have a good time without having to think too much. Citing it would not be very proper for his king to see him in such a less than stellar state.
After what was quickly becoming a rather mediocre lesson in the basis of human interaction, and thanks to the constant insistences of the barmaids and local female patrons that were approaching and asking for Lancelot's attention at regular intervals, Arturia had to put her foot down and remind her former knight of the fact she was no longer a king and that she had asked him to show her all he knew about interacting with civilians to the best of his ability and thus there was not point for him to be so recalcitrant.
After a few more reassurances from Arturia that she was not to judge him based on what might be an unsightly spectacle from his part, something she personally thought to be silly since she had seen much worse things during her time as king and during her summoning as a servant for the holy grail war (Which caused a dark cloud to fall over her as she remembered the crimes committed by Caster Gilles de Rais and his master, and the dark otherworldly sorcery employed by the deranged former knight turned serial killer and madman.) Lancelot finally acquiesced to her wishes and decided to impart his hard-earned "wisdom" in the art of revelry. Something that to this day she would come to regret many times and make her question her sanity for having agreed to endure such in the first place.
Like right now, after another long night of carousal, Arturia finds herself in the embarrassing position of escorting the capernoited Knight back to the barracks and try to sneak him in while praying that their superiors do not catch wind of their little excursion. Something that, much to her chagrin, she has become pretty adept thanks to experience.
"Yu shuud livel up a lishe ma' king… Youse shill too schtiff durrin' urs leshonss…" The totally smashed Knight of the lake slurred, trying his best to enunciate his words despite his clearly handicapped eloquence.
"It's alright Lancelot…" Artturia replied as she focused on peering at the darkness all around them to better discern their immediate surroundings in order to lead the both of them safely back home. "I learn a lot by just simply remaining on my seat and watch you have fun. It is a clear contrasting sight from your usual stern and diligent self, though not an unwelcome one. I am glad that you are capable of finding some joy in life without letting you be dragged down by the mistakes of our past…" She said with a small smile of relief as she kept making their way in the darkness.
Lancelot fell quiet at that, abruptly feeling himself quite sober all of a sudden. He took a sharp breath, as he debated with himself of whether or not to broach the subject with his king. "I am sorr-y mai king, but I musth be honesth with you an' tell you that in trusht I was not able to ig-nore my mishtakes from the past. My guilt wash… eati-ng me from the insaid, so my- oushtings and bin-ges were nothing more but.. ho-llow attempts to try and.. for-get what I did, to simply keep myself from thinking… If only for a little while…" He confessed, shame sounding clearly in his voice as he pushed his alcohol induced haze aside by sheer will alone. Each second giving him greater and greater clarity of mind.
"I see…" Arturia simply said, keeping her inner thoughts hidden under her well-crafted mask of inexpressiveness.
Lancelot didn't waste any time to elaborate further, though. "But… But, that was until you ashked me to teach you how to become more app-roachable towards the common people my king. It made me so happy when you told me you needed my help, it made me hope that al-though you might not consider my former dishonorable actions towards your majesty something that I would have to ask forgiveness for, maybe by giving you my help to the besht of my abilities I would be able to forgive myself and finally coming to peace with my own actions after what I did…" He said, a brief pang of embarrassment surging within him at confessing some of his most personal feelings to his liege.
"Lancelot…" Arturia exclaimed, wanting to speak and reassure her former knight. But Lancelot beat her to the punch with a shake of his head.
"Is okay my king… I am okay… I am happy that I am being useful to you, even if it's only in showing you what not to do if you do not wish to make an ass of yourself." The former Knight of the Lake gave a shameless smile at that. "I am really glad to have finally found you my king again after all these years and I thank god or the maker of whatever deity responsible for having reunited us in this new life for giving me the chance of being under your service again..." He said with a smile blooming on his face.
A small crease appeared on Arturia's brow before she let out a sigh. "I know it will be futile of me for asking but I must plead you to stop calling me that Lancelot… I don't know how many times I've told you I'm not king anymore, and you are not my knight, your loyalty should be to the Chantry first and foremost as the vows you took when you became a Templar said. No, you're not my knight and I'm not your king…" She said a little too brusquely as she kept making her way through the market concealed in shadows. She then took a deep breath. "But you are a loyal friend, and I think that is something more valuable than any oath of fealty…"
Lancelot became quiet at that, his expression betraying his inner turmoil. Suddenly he began to drag his feet causing Arturia to have more difficulty in leading him, she stopped and turned her head to fully look at the knight, suspecting he had something to say.
"My king… When you first told me that you wanted to count me among your friends, I had a lot of trouble wrapping my head around the idea. After all I still I'm unable to understand why you wish to consider me a friend after what I did… But with each month that has passed, I've started to become more and more accustomed to the notion that I might call you a friend as well as a king…" Arturia was about to protest again about her title, but Lancelot signaled her for him to finish his piece first. "I know you do not like it when I refer to you by your former title my king. But my ki—Arturia, you are a still a King regardless of what you might think… The best I've ever known or served, you might wish to pretend that the roles we had in our previous life no longer apply in this new one, but we cannot simply pretend that the battles we fought and the sins we committed did not happen. You can try to deny it all you may want, but a king will remain a king, and a knight will remain a knight. We cannot go against our true nature; no illusion or clever disguise will ever be able to erase our true selves. Even now your kingly traits still show true. You still radiate that powerful presence that makes men stare in awe and follow you into battle without complaint, in fact, it has been becoming even stronger overtime. And I'm not the only one who has taken notice of this…" Lancelot warned with outmost seriousness.
Arturia wanted to refute, to say Lancelot was wrong in his assertions. But she knew the words of her former knight were true, and the thought troubled her more than what she was willing to admit, even to herself. All she ever wanted was to have a life without the responsibilities of a crown, without having the crushing weight of failure hanging from her shoulders.
Lancelot could see that his words had caused some distress to his king, he was about to offer an apology when a female scream was suddenly heard in the night. Almost as if uncoiled by a spring, both knights exploded into action. Lancelot detaching himself from the support of his king as he pushed any lingering daze from the alcohol to the back of his mind and forced himself to fulfill his duties as a knight, pulling out his sword without a sound. Arturia wordlessly let him go as she too drew her sword and ran towards the source of the commotion.
It was simply a matter of seconds for the two knights to traverse the remaining length of the market and reach the portcullis towards the noble quarter where they found a thin petite dark-skinned elf woman being accosted by two watchmen of the city guard.
"Enough of your hollering you bloody knife-ear! Prowling about late at night! Up to no good I bet! You and your entire kind are nothing more but filthy criminals. I wager you were trying to break into some poor sod's house and rob him blind!" Said one of the watchmen, a brutish looking fellow that clearly looked as if he wasn't particularly bright while he slapped the poor woman to the ground. Her entire semblance pitiful, as she was dressed in rags, sporting what looked to be injuries and bruises while looking particularly malnourished if her alarmingly thin mien was any indication.
"No, please sir! I've done nothing wrong! I was kidnapped by a gang of cutthroats from the common quarter and held against my will! I've only just managed to escape! Please! All I want is to see my family again!" The elf woman pleaded, scrambling about the dirty cobblestone on her knees after being struck, making for a very pathetic sight.
"Ha! A likely story!" The watchman rebuffed. "You knife-ears have nothing of value to your worthless hides! No bandit or criminal would ever bother themselves to kidnap one of you knowing there will be no ransom to be paid!"
The second watchman decided to finally speak to his partner after that last declaration. "Well… There is one thing that elven women are only good at, if you know what I mean. And she does look quite banged up…" He said, leering at the helpless woman.
His fellow watchman too gave a lascivious smile, knowing what his partner was talking about. "You know, you might be right… All that these beggars have ever amounted is being average bedwarmers. Maybe we should take a taste out of her to check if her story is any good." He said looming over the elf woman who was suddenly very on guard as she became aware of what the watchmen were planning to do to her.
The second guard was rather ambivalent over that suggestion but not because of any decency from his part. "I dunno man, she's clearly used goods…"
A flicker of defiance began to swell in the woman's features, who was not simply about to let herself be defiled without a fight. But before the situation could escalate further, they were interrupted by the opportune intervention of Arturia and her loyal knight/confidant.
"What is the meaning of this! What are you two about to do to that poor woman!" Arturia bellowed in her kingly voice that she used in her previous life to give orders to her soldiers during a campaign as she and Lancelot began to approach with their swords upfront. The two poor excuses for watchmen were so caught off-guard by the sheer authority in the former king's voice that they couldn't help themselves from unconsciously standing rigidly at attention, they required a moment to snap out of their stupor once they realized they were being ordered around by some unknown wench.
"Oy? Who is there? Show yourself where we can see you? Well teach you not to get in the way of official business of the city watch!" The watchman in charge bellowed as he took a guarded stance and began to reach for his sword.
The two templars walked out from beneath the shadow of a building and into the moonlight, the iconic armor of their profession glinting clearly despite the darkness, giving no doubt about who the two corrupt watchmen were now facing and making them pause.
"I know Sargent Kylon is always complaining about the quality of the officers in the watch nowadays, but I didn't expect for things to have degenerated so far as to have watchmen in full uniform accosting helpless women in dark alleyways!" Arturia declared, her expression hard and hostile, causing the two corrupt officers to take a step back in fright.
"You are pretty much right Arturia, this is really a disgrace…" Lancelot said, using his greater height to tower over everybody and effectively pin down the two low-lives in uniform from trying anything with the power of his gaze alone. It didn't hurt that he had also set his great sword to a rest position tip first in the ground in front of him, idly displaying its great size and thickness to let them know exactly what would happen if the situation suddenly turned sour.
The guard at the lead, gulped, not really wishing to attempt facing such an imposing knight in combat on such close alleyways. "Templars…" He murmured before shaking his head, trying to regain his mettle. "Now listen here, this has nothing to do with you chantry folk, this knife-ear…!" He said derisively, putting emphasis in the word as if it were an insult. "Was caught lollygagging on the streets late at night and in clear violation of the curfew that her kind has to follow if they wish to live inside the city. Obviously, she must be up to some mischief, her kind always is…"
"Right… Because a half-starved injured elven woman who I can clearly see is still bleeding even in this darkness is such a danger towards the public peace." Lancelot said in the flattest tone he could muster as he gestured towards the elven woman in question with a hand, it was clear he was far from impressed.
The guard stuttered at that, clearly being unaccustomed of having someone other than his direct superior officer calling him on his lies. "Be as it may, the fact she's on the streets at such late hour is a clear violation of the law, so this is a matter solely for the city guard to deal with. You have no right to interfere templar!" He spat, pointing a finger at Lancelot who gave no outward reaction.
"Maybe civil law states so, but canon law says otherwise…" Arturia declared, having spent countless hours during her apprenticeship on the Templar order studying the chant of light as well as the laws and the code of conduct that the chantry espoused to its devotees alongside the duties and obligations that the Templars were expected to follow, which just so happened was the enforcement and defense of canon law. "A Templar has the duty to lend aid to any follower of the faith that might request it in matters of justice as long as they request sanctuary from any representative of the Chantry and put themselves entirely to the disposition of its laws and institutions…" She effectively stated with a tone of finality.
"What…? This wretched wench hasn't done any of that, don't come around trying to spout nonsense that has nothing to do with the matter at hand!" The guard complained, and edge of nervousness creeping into his voice that he tried to conceal with fake bravado.
"But I'm sure she will be more than amenable to make such a request now that we are here, aren't you milady?" Lancelot said, quickly figuring out what his king was planning and giving a look to the elf woman that told her she should play along if she wanted to get out her current situation.
"Now wait a minute…!" The watchman fumbled, having been caught flatfooted by the quick paced change on the situation.
But the elf woman was quick in the uptake and she threw herself at Arturia's feet and began to grovel for mercy, hugging the once and future king by the calves. "Please honorable knights, I want to ask for Asylum from the Chantry! I leave myself to the Mercy of the maker and our lady Andraste, please help!" The elven woman declared, giving and excellent show of looking like a little and pathetic wretched creature as she could, even letting out tears on command. If Arturia wasn't so focused on putting a stop to the injustice that almost took place, she would have surely been blushing at the embarrassment of such undignified display.
"Hey, no fair! I thought that sanctuary could only be given inside the borders of a chantry! Not in the middle of the street by random Templars!" The companion of the corrupt watchman complained, whining like a petulant child.
Arturia gave a stiff nod at that, granting the point even if the one who made the observation was someone despicable. "For the most part that is true, but a Templar has been granted the authority to enforce the laws of the Chantry wherever is that he might be, regardless of jurisdiction, and none may interfere in his maker-ordained duties less swift retribution fall upon him. What happened on Kirkwall and its previous viscount should be more than enough proof of my words…" She stated with unwavering certainty, never taking her eyes from the leading guardsman in front of him even if she was answering his companion. Although inside she was having heavy qualms about making mention of an event that she herself greatly disapproves off but reasoned that if it helped her driving off the two corrupt watchmen without the need of spilling blood then it was justified.
Her gaze turned even more serious as her posture became ram-rod, daring to the two false watchmen in front of her to oppose her with a lift of her chin. "So, are you going to try to get in the way between a Templar and his duties, or will you step aside and let us take custody of this woman…?" She said with a hard-steel gaze that made the leading guardsman stand paralyzed in his spot, for some reason, the woman in front of her gave her the same vibes he felts when in front of a drill sergeant. For a moment he entertained the thought of rebelling against the girl the same way as he sometimes acts insubordinate towards his superiors, but the sight of the other tall and imposing Templar idly drumming his fingers on the pommel of his sword gave him pause.
Luckily, he was saved from making a rash decision when his partner put a gauntleted hand over his shoulder and pulled him back. "It's not worth it, mate. Picking a quarrel with the Mage-killers just for a lowly knife-ear, and a clearly used one at that? That's a lousy deal in my opinion."
The leading watchman closed his fist in frustration, his jaw tensing due to the sheer impotence he was feeling but eventually he caved in with a long-defeated sigh. "Fine! Take the knife-ear with you if that's what you want! But let me make this clear, I don't want to see her again on the streets at night because if I do I'm taking her in, Maker-friggin' sanctuary or not…" He threatened, lifting a finger for emphasis.
"You won't." Arturia simply said, still staring with a serious expression.
The guardsman locked eyes with her for a couple of seconds, making an unconscious gulp against his will before stepping away and motioning at his partner to follow him. "C'mon, let's get out of here, I need a drink…"
"What about the rest of our patrol…?" His partner asks as he trails after him.
"Bugger off with the sodding patrol!"
Both Arturia and Lancelot remained tense and didn't relaxed until any sign of the two guardsmen disappeared, not even when they were out of sight by turning a corner did the two templars let their guards down. It wasn't until their footsteps faded into the distance that did the former king and her knight dared to ease their grips on their swords.
With a tired sigh, Arturia's tension finally leaved her body and she sheathed her sword before turning towards the elf woman still at her feet. "Are you alright ma'am?" Arturia inquired kneeling over the woman and setting a hand on her shoulder.
The elf woman nodded as she finally let go of Arturia and started to compose herself. "I'm alright… I'm alright… Thank you…" She said as she tried to control her racing nerves.
Arturia simply nodded before following up with another question. "Please ma'am I know you are upset right now but I have to ask… Where they able to… stain your virtue before we arrived?" She asked with some serious concern showing on her face, trying to be the most polite she could in addressing such an unnerving topic.
The elf woman blinked in confusion, staring perplexed at Arturia for a second before giving a brief shake of her head. "No… They wanted too… If you and your friend hadn't arrived in time they would have…" She falls silent for a moment, dreading to think about what almost happened. Arturia gave a look of pity and understanding at that.
Eventually, the elf woman soldiered on and forced herself to speak again. "But they didn't… You arrived just in time before they had a chance to try anything. I- I thank you milady!" She said gratefully, bowing her head earnestly.
"Don't… Don't call me milady. If we are to speak with each other, we should do so as equals by our first names." Arturia gently, but firmly chastised before gesturing towards herself and the former knight of the lake. "Mine is Arturia, and this is Lancelot… What would your own name be ma'am?" She says as reassuringly as she can with a small smile.
"Adaia… My name is Adaia… Adaia Tabris… Thank you, this is the second time tonight that I've been shown kindness by humans. I'll make sure my daughter knows of your names to show her there is good in humanity…" The elf, Adaia said with honest gratefulness.
Though it made her feel somewhat embarrassed to be shown so much appreciation, Arturia decided to focus in the rest of Adaia's statement. "The second time? Did someone else assaulted you tonight? Is that why you are sporting so many injuries?" She asked, a frown marrying her otherwise lovely features.
Adaia's gaze fell at that, her demeanor turning contrite. "I was held captive for many weeks against my will by one of the nobles in his state. He tortured me… Did horrible things to me… I would have surely died if it wasn't for the kindness of another girl that had also been taken captive and was making her own escape. I owe her my life…" She became a little pensive all of a sudden. "I suppose I owe you and your companion too…"
Arturia shook her head in a negative. "Don't… It is our duty as knights to protect the helpless, we didn't save just to make you feel indebted to us. Though I find it concerning the notion that nobles can simply take people off the streets against their will and imprison then in their states to take advantage of them without any kind of retribution from the law…" She said with a clear disapproving expression on her face.
Adaia just chuckled, finding the former king's innocence oddly endearing, it somehow reminds her of her daughter. "Laws only apply to humans, it seems we elves are not worth enough for such a privilege." She huffed with no small amount of scorn discernible in her voice. She then remembered she was still in the presence of two humans and tried to give a pleasant smile to hide her inner displeasure, but obviously it wasn't enough to fool the two Templars.
"In any case, it is a relief you managed to scare those two thugs away, now I might finally be able to return to my family at last." The elf woman said, this time real cheer was able to creep into her face at that statement.
Lancelot began to awkwardly rub the back of his head. "I wouldn't wish to be the bearer of bad news milady, but it is well known that the gates of the Alienage are shut closed at night. No one gets in and no one gets out… I don't think you will be able to reunite with your family tonight… I'm sorry…" He said with heavy qualms on his face, and no small deal of pity.
Now that managed to earn a scowl out of the elven woman. "With all due respect ser… Right now, I'm not particularly of the mind of caring whether entry in the Alienage is allowed or not. I've already endured much this night, I won't let anything else keep me away from my family…" She made to stand, but her wounds brought her to a halt mid-motion and forced her to lay down again, a grimace showing in her face as Arturia hovered over her to provide assistance.
"I wouldn't want to impose ma'am, but it seems to me you are in no condition for any more nightly exertions." Arturia said the most diplomatically she could. "I know that the only thing you want is to see your family again after the ordeals you went through, but I cannot in good consciousness allow an injured woman to venture on her own at night and try something that would undoubtly get her in trouble with the city guard… Besides, you asked us for Asylum and we accepted, so we are now compelled to fulfill our word."
Adaia blinked and looked up at Arturia. "What do you mean…?"
The former king looked at the injured woman in the eyes, trying to convey the truthfulness of her intentions. "Please, Ma'am, let us bring you back with us to the chantry and offer you both safe shelter and so much needed medical aid. I swear on my honor as a knight that nothing untoward will happen to you as long as you are under our protection. And once you have been both healed and rested, I promise Lancelot and I will escort you personally back to the alienage come morning…" She said with the outmost seriousness in her tone.
Adaia was taken aback for a moment at the clear honesty she could discern in Arturia's voice, she has dealt with many deceitful humans for decades, yet she was incapable of detecting any lie in the young templar's tone. Even still, she remained hesitant nevertheless. "I… I don't know…"
"Please ma'am… Adaia… Reconsider. You will be doing your family no favor if something were to happen to you while you try to break inside the alienage in your injured condition. Yes, I'm sure they must be horribly worried over your disappearance, but I'm certain they would not mind waiting another night if it meant their matron will be returned to them in good health. Anyone would be joyous to receive news of a missing relative being found alive and hale rather than being informed of their tragic demise. If you love your family, then you must do whatever it takes to stay alive for them and risking yourself in a dangerous situation doesn't help especially when it is unnecessary since all you must do is wait for the morning to arrive to be reunited with your loved ones. Just be patient and I assure you that Lancelot and I will return you to your family safe a sound. So, I implore you, please reconsider and allow us to escort you to the chantry…" Arturia begged passionately to the point of making the stubborn elven woman pause in her stance.
For several long seconds Adaia just sat there in the cobbled street, staring at Arturia, deciding whether she could trust in the young Templar or not. In the end, acknowledging the fact she had already been helped by the blonde girl and her companion alongside that other girl who broke her out her captivity, Adaia decided to take a leap of faith and put her trust in humans again.
"Very well… I'll accept your offer of help…" The female elf said with a nod, her gaze however turned stern all of a sudden. "But make no mistake, if this is some trick, I will curse your name to the deepest darkspawn pits imaginable…"
Arturia was equally serious as she shook her head in a negative. "No tricks, I swear by the maker and his bride, by my honor as Templar and the flaming sword of mercy etched in my breastplate, we will deliver you safely back to your family." She declared righteously, allowing room for no doubt about her words.
Adaia nodded. "Very well… Then I accept your help, sorry for being distrustful, but we elves rarely experience kindness from humans…" She said apologetically.
Arturia acknowledged her statement. "It's alright… I understand your hesitation against strangers, it will be foolish to trust someone without fully discerning his intentions first… Now, shall we…" She said, offering a hand for the elf to take.
"As you wish…" Adaia said before taking the offered hand and allowing Arturia to help her to her feet.
Lancelot simply lifted his sword from his resting position and put it back inside his scabbard. "I'll take point to make sure there's no surprises between us and the Chantry. It never hurts to be cautious even if it's just a small trek…" He said as he turned around and began to point the way through the dark alleyways, the plates of his armor clanking loudly in the night with each step.
!
It didn't take long for the two knights to reach the chantry, even when escorting an injured woman with them. Usually, the Chantry keeps only a minimum of one or two clerics and lay sisters to tend to the chapel with a couple of Templars for protection. Tonight though, there was none of the expected sentries in vigil waiting to greet them, but that didn't mean the Chantry was deserted of any signs of life.
"Mother Dorothea? You're still up at this hour…?" Arturia said with a dumbfounded expression as she helped the injured Adaia inside the Chantry. True to her words, the senior revered mother was standing in the middle of the main nave exchanging words to two unknown people, a burly tough looking man that had the appearance of a thug or sword-for-hire and a young lithe red-headed girl dressed in leathers. The trio turned in her direction at the intrusion, just as Lancelot was closing the main doors behind her.
"Arturia? Lancelot? What have you two been up to this late?" The revered Mother asked in surprise, seeing the two most promising Templars in all of Ferelden dragging a clearly injured elf woman behind them at such hour.
"We found this woman being preyed upon by some brigands dressed in the uniforms of the city guard and decided to intervene in her sake after they made their intention obvious about taking her virtue…" Lancelot spoke in that crisp intimidating tone of his that he falls into when he's being serious.
"I see…?" Mother Dorothea replied with a grimace, she wasn't so naïve as to ignore the fact that elves are treated in less than stellar ways from people in positions of power. Although she approves of the two young Templars standing up for the innocent, she can't help but feel a little apprehensive for their sake at the thought of the two of them getting in serious trouble with the wrong sort of influential people for fighting against the injustice of the world.
"Wait! I know that woman! I helped her escape from the Arl of Denerim's state where I was being held imprisoned." The young red-head said, pointing with a dainty finger. The accent of her voice clearly marking her as Orlesian.
Adaia visibly perked up at the sight of the foreigner girl. "You're that girl that helped me escape from my captivity! What a fortuitous occasion for us to meet again!" She declared with clear joy.
The Orlesian girl shook her head. "Nevermind that, are you okay!? You look much worse than when I released you!" She said with obvious concern.
Adaia blinked, gave a considering glance to the two templars that had helped her and then turned back towards the Orlesian girl, a brief smile adorning her face. "I think everything will be fine now… I was accosted on my way home by some guardsmen in search of easy prey, but these two knights came to my defense and drove them away…"
"Revered Mother… Who are this people…?" Arturia asked out loud wanting to know the reason for their two late night visitors' presence, though she tried not to antagonize either of them, knowing the red-headed Orlesian to be just after learning she had helped Adaia in her time of need regardless of reward or circumstance.
The Revered Mother gestured with a hand to each of her guests, who directed guarded stares towards Arturia and Lancelot. "This is Leliana, and this is Silas, they've both came here seeking for some temporal Asylum and my personal advice in a private matter." She said, unwilling to disclose the true reason as to why both visitors where in the Chantry. Arturia was a good, honest and reliable girl, and it was because of her desire to preserve her innocence for as long as she could that she didn't wanted her to get involved in business related to the most uglier side of the world.
"Would you be needing our help in this matter Revered Mother?" Arturia offered respectfully to the head priestess.
Dorothea cracked a grin, so typical of Arturia. She shook her head in a negative. "No, my dear, everything is under control." She replied soothingly. "You should carry on and leave us to our own affairs. It seems to me your own hands are pretty full at the moment with your own issues." She said, motioning towards the injured elven woman.
Arturia acknowledged with a nod. "You are correct… We did promise Adaia to tend to her wounds and give her a safe place where to rest for the night and escort her safely back to the Alienage come morning. It will be remiss from my part to go back on my word, with your permission revered mother…" She explained, giving a bow of respect to ask for leave.
Revered Mother Dorothea gave her consent. "As you were Arturia, carry on with your duties…"
The blonde templar acolyte and her companion gave their assents and proceeded to give some nods of respect to the revered mother's visitors before escorting their charge to the Chanty's back-building in search of a free room were to lay Adaia to rest and tend to her wounds.
After calling for a lay sister that could act as a healer, Arturia decided to leave the elf woman in the hands of the experts and focus on her own respite, as she still needed to take off and safeguard her weapons and armors and turn for the night since it was late already and tomorrow was building up to be a busy day.
Just as she was about to walk out of the room, Adaia called after the former king. "T-thank you…"
Arturia stopped under the door's threshold, turning her neck to glance back at the elf woman. "It was nothing, I was just simply doing my duty…"
Adaia giggled in amusement, covering her merriment with the back of her hand as she suppressed a wince from the bandages being tightly fastened around her torso. "You are too much humble for your own good, Arturia…" She said between chuckles, taking a moment to compose herself before assuming a more serious demeanor. "I apologize for being so suspicious about your intentions, you did not deserve that, you and your companion were just trying to help.
"It is alright…" Arturia replied still from under the door's frame, a hand softly leaning in the old creaking wood. "As I've said, I understand your reasons for your distrust. I am not so blind as to ignore the fact that elves are abused and exploited by humans, I do not resent you for doubting in the words of a couple of heavily armed and armored humans that you just met, especially when you had just been set upon by another group of humans… But never mind that right now, just relax and focus in your rest, and tomorrow I'll make sure to reunite you with your family…" She said softly before giving a hand sign of goodnight and stepping out of the room, closing the door behind her without turning back.
It was just Adaia and the lay sister (A woman seemingly in her thirties) bandaging her wounds alone in the room, there was a second of silence before the faithful woman decided to speak. "Arturia is without a doubt the best recruit we have among the initiates in the order, she is practically already the best exemplar that one would wish a Templar to be; Courageous, dutiful, loyal and patient. She will go far among the Templar order, with her charisma I can easily see her reaching the rank of Knight commander in no time." The Lay sister said with a kind smile, but under her breath she made another comment to herself in a quiet absentminded voice. '(She certainly does credence to her royal blood, must have inherited it from her kingly father)'
"Excuse me…?" Adaia inquired, not quite clearly catching what the sister was mumbling to herself.
"Oh don't mind me sweetie, it's just the ramblings of an old cook. In any case, I'm just about done bandaging your wounds. You should do as Arturia said and catch a few winks, I have the feeling you are bound to have a bustling day tomorrow…" She said placidly.
The elven woman nodded. "I will… Thank you…"
"It is my pleasure…" The Lay sister said, giving the final tugs to the dressings to make sure they would remain in place.
!
The next morning found Arturia waking up at sunrise, after promptly going through her daily ablutions and donning her armor she exited the barracks and went straight for the Chantry, only to find Lancelot already waiting for her clad in his own armor in front of the door that led to the room were Adaia was resting.
"Good morning my king."
"Morning, Lancelot…" Arturia greeted with a nod and proceeded to knock on the door without further preamble, her gauntleted hand rasping a few firm thuds on the wood.
"Enter." It was the quick response from inside.
Opening the door, inside they found Adaia, finishing touching up her dress in front of a mirror in a corner, her movements a bit stiff due to her bandages.
Arturia refrained from commenting and simply decided to focus on the matter at hand. "Ready?"
Turning around to face the two armored Templars, Adaia acknowledged the question with a nod. "I am ready to return with my family…" She simply said, locking her fingers together over her dress.
Accepting the reply, Arturia wordlessly gestured for the elven woman to follow her. Adaia complied without complaint, trailing after her, Lancelot guarding both her king and her charge from a couple of paces behind.
!
It seemed just as any regular morning in Denerim, the sun was up high, and the market was already bustling with people selling their wares or perusing through the stalls. Adaia let out a sigh of relief as soon as she saw the portcullis of the Alienage.
"We have arrived, would you be fine on your own from this point onwards or would you like for us to escort you inside…?" Arturia simply stated in a professional but not unkindly demeanor.
Adaia fiddled with her fingers for a moment, thinking about her answer. It was clear that the elven woman had some reservations, but she apparently decided to steel her nerves and speak her mind. "I wonder if it will be possible, if it's not much trouble, for you to accompany me inside so I can introduce you to my family. I think it wouldn't be fair if they are unable to meet two of the heroes who rescued and aided me in my time of need." She inquired, pressing the tips of her two index fingers together, mild amount of nervousness evident in her stance.
Arturia swayed her head. "As I have said already, it was our duty to help and lend you a hand, we couldn't simply walk away and ignore the fact you were about to be defiled by a couple of low lives in dressed as city guards." She said with some sternness, her jaw tensing a little as the memory of such a disgrace replayed in her mind.
"Many humans, even those of high standing would not have even bothered to go out of their way to help an elf…" Adaia replied with no small amount of scorn.
"She's right you know…" Lancelot interjected, glancing at Arturia. "From what I've seen from first experience, very few people in this world fill the image of what a true knight should be…"
Arturia sighed, knowing Lancelot was right but not wishing to be reminded of the fact because she found it depressing. She focused instead of giving Adaia a proper answer since she was still waiting expectantly. "Very well, if that is your wish, we will go with you and meet your family right now." She gave her agreement.
The elf woman smiled brightly. "Thank you…" She offered a bow of gratitude before gesturing to the two templars to accompany her.
As they approached the Portcullis they were stopped by one of the two guard on-duty, a brute whose looks gave the impression he had the mental acuity of a bag of rocks. "Oy, what does two soldiers of the faith want inside this trash heap?" The watchman inquired. "Has one of the filthy knife-ears turned to blood magic and you have come here to kill it before he becomes a danger to the good citizens of the city? I knew it was a bad idea to keep these savages inside the city, we should purge the lot of them before they unleash a horde of demons upon us? You just say the words good sers, and we will give the order." He said with eagerness, bloodlust and glee at the thought of killing elves evident in his features. Adaia scowled immediately at hearing his words.
Arturia and Lancelot too weren't amused, and they directed fulminant glares towards the loose-mouthed guard, freezing it on the spot at the sheer magnitude of the killing intent suddenly being aimed in his direction.
The second guard, a much older and clearly experienced watchman, just turned his head and gave his partner a look that asked if he was stupid. "Don't be daft boy, they clearly must be here in business related to the orphanage. Remember that the chantry is in charge of providing all healing and social aid services in all of Thedas…"
"We are escorting Mrs. Adaia here, back to her home after it was required of her to spend a night in the Chantry's healing room to have her wounds treated." Arturia said stiffly, her words coming out terse and concise. There was obviously no warmth in her voice towards the guard that had just made genocidal comments about elves.
Despite knowing better than to show any sign of disapproval in front of the two scary Templars, the discriminatory guard couldn't keep his mouth shut. "Why would you waste time and effort in helping a knife-ear?"
"The servants of the Chantry are compelled to lend aid to any follower of the faith that might ask for aid within its walls… We do not turn away anyone despite their gender, age or race. All are equals in the eyes of the maker, and only he will judge who is worthy or not to enter his domain in the afterlife…" Arturia replied succinctly, trying to bore holes into the jerk guardsman with her sight alone.
"Yes, sounds about right. I suppose is good and proper for the Chantry to help its devotees, I see nothing wrong with showing kindness to the elves from time to time as long as they all pay homage to the Maker and acknowledge holy Andraste as our only lady and savior…" The other guard said, trying to appease the tense mage killers a little while giving a pointed look to the bandaged female elf.
Reading between the lines and figuring out what was being asked of her, Adaia resisted to scoff before pulling out a small iron medallion from the confines of her blouse, engraved with the image of the flaming sword of mercy. "I am a proper follower of the maker, I go to mass every weekend like any self-respecting believer."
The guardsman nodded with a grunt of approval. "As you should be… Very well, everything seems to be in proper order, you can go inside and conduct your business in peace. Though I wouldn't linger for long if I were you. Andrastians or not, elves tend to react poorly to armed people walking into their hovels all willy-nilly." With that said, the guard moved aside and began to man the mechanism to raise the gate.
Arturia gave her assent and motioned both Adaia and Lancelot to start moving, she couldn't wait to leave already.
!
The elf woman walked in front of the two Templars, a myriad of emotions running through her semblance; among them joy, impatience, excitement, anxiousness and a bit of doubt being the most prominent. She was just too eager to finally reach her home that she didn't realize she had begun to increase her pace, causing the two knights to match her speed in order to avoid being left behind. Though neither of the two commented on this, understanding how much the elven woman must want to be reunited with her loved ones after being taken and imprisoned against her will. At the very least, having Adaia focus single-mindedly in her goal allowed Arturia to take in their surroundings and know for herself what the elven alienage was on the inside. And what she saw left her less than pleased.
The former king knew empirically that the Alienage was in a terrible state, she has often heard the lay sisters and the fellow Templars who are assigned to look after the orphanage say as much, but she never expected for reality to be this bad. To be the politest she could about it, the Alienage was a pile of dirt and that was coming up short. There was no main road paved with cobblestone just a filthy looking muddy trail were the waste and rain got stuck in puddles and trash was tossed into heaps at the sides of the street. The houses were rickety poorly-built constructions made of old or rotten wood and cheap plaster that were squeezed tightly against each other and piled up one atop another while the destitute inhabitants, every single one of them showing signs of poor hygiene and malnutrition peered at her and her companion from between the cracks of closed doors and boarded windows with distrustful eyes.
The sheer sight of it left Arturia gasping in shock for a moment, never in her two lives she has seen such a terrible example of urban development. Even the villages razed by the Saxons were left in better condition that many of these so-called buildings. There were even some houses built atop ramshackle wooden platforms that hovered above the river, the glaring danger that such a shoddy construction would mean for its inhabitants it's something that caused her a great feeling of dread to consider.
How can the king allow for his own citizens to live in such deplorable conditions inside his own capital? Nevermind if the elves are considered second-class citizens or not, the image given by the populace is a reflection of the king's rule and to allow such a ghastly visage to exist within the walls of the very heart of the nation raises worrying implications about the king's capacity for leadership. She would have never allowed for such a cesspit to exist in Camelot back in her days.
The thought brought Arturia to pause, shaking her head to clear her head. She must remind herself it no longer is her responsibility to guide the reins of the nation. She wanted to get rid of the burden of wearing a crown and now that she has her wish fulfilled she must stand aside and allow another to face the challenge. This is what she had wanted the most isn't it…?
Yet sometimes, in her private moments, the words told to her by the spirit of Justice so long ago during her first foray in the fade still reverberate inside her mind… 'If not you, who else?'
Her depressing train of thought was interrupted as they turned around a bend in the muddy road and her eyes fell upon an unusually thick and tall tree standing proudly in the middle of the road. Unlike the depressing misery lingering all around it, the tree stood healthy and vibrant, rising high above the landscape of poverty. Arturia couldn't help but feel somewhat inspired by the sight, that even among the worst of penuries good things can come out of it and rise above all the misfortune and despair.
A small smile adorned the face of the former king as the small retinue finally arrived at their destination. Adaia began to knock on the door of one of the many little hovels squeezed together on the side of the road and facing directly to the great tree. Lancelot walked to her side as she kept staring at the imposing trunk.
"Quite the big tree isn't it my king…? I'm really amazed that the elves are capable of tending such a robust plant despite their obvious- err… shortages…" The knight of the lake said with discomfort, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.
Whatever response that Arturia might have gave was interrupted by a cry of surprise coming from the rustic hovel behind them.
"Adaia!"
"Valendrian!"
The two knights turned to see their charge hugging a male elf several years her senior, his hair completely gray by age as hardship lines marked his face strongly. Whoever this man was he surely is closely dear to Adaia as tears didn't wait to star falling from both of their faces… And, okay nevermind…
Arturia's train of thought came to a sudden abrupt halt as she turned around to take her gaze away from the two elves, a strong blush in her face. The couple of demi-humans having engaged in a very earnest and passionate kissing session, causing the former king to feel really uncomfortable at witnessing such a personal show of affection and making her want to give them some privacy. Lancelot on the other hand seemed pretty amused at her reaction, as he openly grinned at her discomfort which made Arturia to glare at him and only served to entertain him more. The insufferable prat! She has given him no leave to laugh at his king, he should know his place better than that!
Again, Arturia's mind came to a halt, deeply surprised at such thought that had unconsciously come so natural to her. It disturbed her greatly, proving that against her best wishes she still considers herself a King in the innermost parts of her own mind, making her remember the words that Lancelot told her the previous night about how one cannot fully deny one own nature and will eventually still show your true colors despite any conscious efforts at the contrary.
Luckily for her peace of mind, a new voice made act of presence, interrupting the reunited lovers' passion.
"Mom…?" A young female elf said, her expression completely stupefied. She was a cute little thing, small and thin as all elves are compared to humans. Her facial features were sweet and pretty, clearly inherited from her mother alongside the eyes, green in color; however, her skin and hair color had evidently come from her father's side. Skin pale and creamy with a mane of shoulder-long strawberry blonde hair styled in a traditional Fereldan fashion. Arturia had seen such a typical style many times before, free flowing hair neatly combed at the back while the front was braided and pulled back over the ears to be tied behind the head, leaving only a couple of thin braids at the front to frame the sides of the face.
"My little girl!" Adaia's eyes became vibrant at the sight of her newly revealed daughter, taking her attention away from Valendrian and gesturing for the young elven girl to come near.
The eyes of the girl teared up and she wasted no time to rush at her mother, the small family of three reunited once more in a hug. Despite her finely-honed stoicism, Arturia was incapable of keeping a smile from crawling to her face. She turned towards Lancelot, who was sporting a smile of his own, and locked stares with her former knight.
"We did well your majesty, you can be sure of that…" He said with a nod.
Arturia acknowledged with a nod of her own. "You're right… I think we should give them some privacy..." She said, glancing back towards the reunited family before turning around and starting to walk away. "Come Lancelot, I believe this is or cue to leave…" She said motioning to her companion.
"It is as you say my king…" It was the knight of the lake's reply as he turned to follow after his king, stepping into place to guard her side from behind.
"Wait!" Adaia called from behind, breaking the hug with her family, the other two elves finally realized that they were not alone and became suddenly wary towards the two humans in their midst. "I'm sorry for having get caught up in the moment, it was not my intention to ignore you. It's just that I was so happy to have finally seen my family again after everything that happened yesterday. Sorry if I caused you any discomfort with my corniness …" She declared, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment.
Arturia simply raised a hand to signal the elven woman to calm down, a dignified look of understanding in her face. "It's all right, it is understandable for you to want to see your family after what you went through. There's nothing to forgive. We just simply didn't think it was not our place to interfere with your heartfelt reunion."
Adaia couldn't help but smile at that. "You truly are kind are you not…?" She said before gesturing for the Templars to approach. "Come, let me introduce you to my family… This is my husband Valendrian, and this little spit-fire is my daughter Kallian…" The elf woman proudly declared as she motioned to each of her family members before trapping her daughter in a one-armed hug over her shoulders.
"Mom… Who are these humans…?" The young elf girl said as she pressed herself guardedly on her mother's side, suspicion obviously apparent in her gaze and posture.
Adaia just kept smiling. "These kind Templars are the ones who came to my rescue yesterday as I was accosted by a pair of city watchmen and offered me shelter and protection for the night while tending to my wounds…" She said as she signaled with her free arm for emphasis.
"What!? Adaia, what exactly happened to you while you were gone!?" Valendrian inquired, clearly scandalized by the declaration.
And so, the elf woman proceeded to regale her family with her tale of misfortune, much to their mounting horror up to the point of her escape and meeting with Arturia. She told how she had run afoul of a noble who yanked her off the streets and imprisoned her in the basement dungeons of his state (A lie, since in reality she had broken into the Arl of Denerim's state in order to steal some valuables and was caught red-handed in the act, something that her daughter and guests really didn't need to know about but her husband clearly picked on it since he was aware of her more dubious activities, giving her a look that promised they were due for a conversation later) Not wishing to elaborate much in her less than pleasant stay in the dungeons until she was helped into making her escape thanks to a fellow prisoner who was also on her way out without the guards knowing. How she managed to make it into the streets without no one being the wiser only to stumble upon a duo of City guardsmen who took offense at her late-night wanderings and showed not a single shred of sympathy at her wounds, in fact, they would have exploited and used her to satiate their lowest of urges if it hadn't been for the opportune intervention of the two Templars, who successfully drove the two watchmen away and provided so much needed aid to the injured woman. Escorting her safely back towards the Chantry where she was given both shelter and medical aid for her wounds.
It was at this moment that the disposition of the two elves listening in made a 180o turn, were before they were looking at the two Templars with suspicion and apprehension, now they were staring at them with awe and appreciation. Arturia couldn't say if she would consider that an improvement. By the end of Adaia's retelling, her family was on the verge of falling on their knees and start lauding her in praises.
"Thank you, thank you! I don't know what I will ever be able to do to repay you for saving my wife, but whatever you need don't be afraid to ask. You will always be considered a friend of this family, and I will make sure everybody in this community know what you did for us." Valendrian declared, barely able to contain his emotion.
Before she could offer a response, the young daughter of the elven couple approached the former king, a rather serious expression in her otherwise lovely face. Before she wrapped her arms around the armored frame of Arturia, giving a quick hug to the surprised Templar and then unlatching herself from her just equally as fast, leaving the once and future king flabbergasted on how to respond. "Thank you… Seriously, thank you. If you hadn't been there my mother, she could, she could…" Her words began to break by a rush of emotion, tears began to brim in her eyes. "She could have died… :Sniff: I don't know what I would have done if such a thing happened…" She said through sobs as she tried to clean her tears the best she could. "So please, accept our thanks and believe us when we tell you that if there is ever something you want from us, anything, we will do it for you no matter what. We owe you a debt we will never be able to pay back, it is only fair for us to serve you in exchange…"
Arturia stared at the crying elf, taking notice of how little and vulnerable she looks at this very moment, and let out a tired sigh. "I didn't save your mother so that your family would feel indebted to me; that was never my intention… I did it because it was the right to do, because it was my duty as a knight to help those in need. Nothing more, nothing less… So, don't feel as if you have to repay me for my actions…"
Before she was able to finish with her statement, Lancelot interceded with a fake cough. "Not to interrupt your outstanding discourse, my ki—Arturia… ('Mi-key?' The elves puzzled in their minds) But, remember that you asked me to give you counsel regarding on how to interact with the common people?" He said with his entire demeanor at ease.
Arturia just blinked in confusion and turned to glance at her former knight. "I don't know why that would have any relevance with the matter at hand, I find your interruption to be quite rude… But yes, Lancelot, I do remember asking you for advice…"
Lancelot just nodded. "Well, I believe now will be a perfect time for another lesson…"
Arturia blinked again. "What…? As in… right now?"
"Yes Arturia… My advice right now will be for you to smile and graciously accept their thanks and offers of future help…" He simply replied nonchalantly.
The blonde knight kept quiet, demanding an answer with her sight alone. "I assume you have a good reason for such advice…?"
Lancelot nodded. "Correct… You see in my experience people don't like to feel indebted towards another person, especially if it is a stranger, that is why they usually offer to repay the favors done to them in order to settle the debt they feel they owe…" He explained crossing his arms and walking over the walls of the Tabris' shack to lean his back on it.
"That is a childish and selfish way of thinking…" Arturia simply said, a frown furrowing her expression.
Lancelot simply shrugged as if it were no concern of him. "People are selfish by nature, your ma—Arturia… But even the most selfish and self-centered of individuals may be capable of acts of great kindness. These people, you know they are poor, you know they face a lot of hardships due to the general prejudice and discrimination that most of our fellow humans feel towards their race, and yet they are offering whatever limited resources they have to help you to the best of their abilities… You should accept their help, because not doing so could be considered insulting to them. I know you are just being your usual selfless and benevolent self Arturia, but if you deny these elves it would simply look as if their efforts are just not worthy enough for the great and mighty human lord." He explains while making air quotations for emphasis.
The former king looked as if she had just swallowed a sour lemon. "I… Understand…" She declared before turning her attention back to the elven family, who had just been standing there befuddled and bemused as Lancelot said his little lecture. "I'm sorry… I should not be so dismissive of your generosity, it was not my intention to cause offense. I was being truthful when I said I didn't saved Adaia's life just to make you all feel indebted to me, that thought never crossed through my head, all I was trying to do was to be true to my vows as a knight and protect an innocent from danger…" She explained, her mood becoming dejected somewhat.
The elven woman felt herself flush a little in shame, knowing her reasons for which he got caught in the first place were anything but innocent, the pointed look her husband was giving her did nothing but compound the feeling. "It is alright Ser Arturia, no harm done. I have already realized you are a kind person, remember?" She said with a fake awkward giggle, joining her hands by the tips of her fingers over her mouth.
Luckily Arturia paid no mind to her unusual behavior and just nodded in acknowledgement. "Thank you. But in all honesty, as much as I would like to accept your gratitude, I really have no idea how I could make use of it. As a templar, I have no want or desire outside of performing my duties to the best of my ability, the chantry provides for all of my needs…" She with an expression of great regret.
"Maybe I could help with that Arturia, just a little idea to take into consideration…" Lancelot interjected.
Arturia turned to look at him again. "What is it Lancelot?"
"I've seen how much interest you've been paying to both little Jeanne and her family… You've been going out of your way for many afternoons this past months to help this woman Goldanna with her laundry duties. I found your keen interest in a modest family of simple commoners rather odd, though you seem to only have the best of intentions towards them, so I found it to be not my place to make an opinion. Maybe is the fact that you've taking a liking to little Jeanne and feel it is a pity that her mother single-handedly tries to support five children without help from the father what drives you to lend them a hand in any way possible… In any case, you could use the promises for support offered to better aid you in your efforts for supporting little Jeanne and her family. More hands would certainly help since you have your duties as a Templar to carry on first and foremost so it would be advantageous to have someone to take your place in helping Goldanna when you are not there yourself, and it would be better if those who are doing the helping are people you can put your trust on…" Lancelot said in a rather rational tone.
Arturia brought a finger to her chin and began to think upon Lancelot's advice. "Your suggestion does have quite some merit, Lancelot… But… I do believe I should give it some great deal of consideration. I would have to speak to Goldanna first and see if she is open to the idea of having some extra hands to help her around during my absence, however… I don't see any problem in carrying out this idea of yours Lancelot." She said, her face showing increased approval to the suggestion with each passing second.
She addressed the expecting elves with all the regal dignity the former king could muster, which was a lot and made the small family of elves pay attention immediately. Arturia tends to forget how much her upbringing and pedigree makes her rise far above the people around her, and it is reflected in her mannerisms for others to pick upon. "I accept your generous offer, I just implore you to give me some time to iron out the details and I'm sure pretty soon I'll have a proper mean for you to repay the debt you feel is owed." She said with great composure and diction, offering a brief bow of respect to her listeners.
The elves suddenly felt pretty aware of being put on the spotlight, feeling rather minuscule at the great royal aura suddenly radiating from the young woman. It was all they could do to keep themselves from falling to their knees. Small blushes coming to Kallian and Adaia's faces at the sheer awe that Arturia could inspire.
"It… It's alright… Take all the time you might need, you are welcome whenever you like…" It was all that Valendrian was able to say, he had been in the presence of nobles before and knew it was best to keep his head down in front of such people. But never in his life had he met someone who had such a ruling presence as to draw all eyes towards herself and erase any thought of taking their eyes elsewhere away from the onlookers' minds. He felt as if he were in front of a king, a real king, not the usually disappointing petty dictators that passed for rulers among the human nations.
With a nod, Arturia made a reverence and offered her goodbyes to the family of elves, promising to return at a later date with news on her decision before departing with Lancelot. The Knight of the Lake taking his usual of guarding her King's back from the side as he stepped into formation, leaving a completely fascinated elven kin staring at their wake.
The humble small family suddenly started to wonder what the future will have in store for them after meeting such a remarkable individual and dared to hope against all odds for it to be a good thing.
Okay, this seems like the perfect place to cut things off for now. Not bad for the first chapter of the year... Now on to the next story on the chedule. As always leave a review and tell me what you think, recommend this story to your friends and visit my P-a-t-(r)-e-o-n if you feel like it and I'll read you all next time.