Notes for chapter 2: I just want to say, I do love the original Arthurian material and legends, and as such, many story points from that will be evident in my work. Clearly there can't be all of them, as this story holds no room for a Guinevere, so she can't cheat on Arthur, who never even existed as a real person in this story, etc, but even the main conflict of this story is inspired by the actual legends. And, to all reviewers, please, put some content into them! I'm happy to hear you liked my story, but that's not really much of a review! I want to know what you think I'm doing right, what you think I'm doing wrong, and what you think could do to make the things I'm doing right even better! Now, without further ramblings of a drunken idiot (false. I have only had one beer despite turning 22 this year. The idiot part, however, I make no claim against.), on with the story!
A month had passed since the eruption of Dark Hollow from the castle of Camelot. The people of the kingdom had been informed that the hero who had helped so many of them was to be the new ruler of the land, and to celebrate his coronation, a great ball was to be held in his honor. At the king's insistence, the ball was to be open to anyone who lived within his realm.
In addition, a story had been formulated for the common man, to keep everyone involved in the events of a month earlier safe. King Arthur had already been slain before the new king had come to this world. He was replaced by his murderer, a mighty knight of the underworld, who the knight of the wind was summoned to confront. The dark hollow was a contingency plan of his, a gate to the underworld. This would keep Sonic from being a kingslayer, would preserve the memory of a great king, and, to Sonic, most importantly, save the life of a friend. If anyone had known Merlina was the one who unleashed the Dark Hollow, even the king wouldn't be able to protect her from his people's wrath.
Sonic sat in his throne, intent on someday finding the hard earned personal feel of one's own ass groove dug into the cushy seat. The ball was to be held in only a few more days, and he couldn't help feeling a bit self conscious. He'd managed to overlook the fact that, by opening this celebration to the public, he'd practically invited everyone within miles to come and gawk at him. Still, a party was a party, and he wasn't about to sit a party out, especially one held for him. He stared idly at his sword. Excalibur had still not recovered all of its power, and continued with its hibernation.
"Get better soon, buddy…" Sonic set the sword at his side and sat back in the throne. Lancelot entered the throne room quietly.
"A messenger from the court of king Lot of Orkney has come. Will you grant him audience?"
"Sure, send him on in." Sonic leaned forward, interested to hear from another land, while he'd only, in his time in this world, seen the far reaches of Camelot. Lancelot ushered in the messenger, and stood in the throne room as he relayed his king's will.
"His royal highness, king Lot of Orkney, lord of the land and its people, bids the new king of Camelot good tidings, and invites the land's king and court to a tournament, to be held a week and a day after the new king's ball, in honor of his coronation." The young messenger gave his well-rehearsed speech with an amount of drama only those born to royalty might think necessary of an invitation to a tournament. "He sits restlessly in his throne, so eager to see the brave hero of Camelot, that he learn his face, and be his ally. And the tournament shall be held that he might see the strength of such a hero and such a king. Will you come to the tournament, your highness?" Sonic sat there, trying to figure out exactly what was said, between all of the formalities and pleasantries.
"Lancelot, what's going on?" He asked, a bit frustrated.
"Eight days after your ball, King Lot, ally of Camelot, will hold a tournament in your honor, so he can meet you, and he asks you participate in the tournament, so he can take measure of your skill." Sonic nodded happily.
"Sure, I'll go. Sounds like a good time!" The messenger bowed, having the reply in his mind, and left to gather his horse, riding back to his master. Sonic turned to Lancelot, again worming his body against the throne, attempting to speed up the development of his much-desired butt-groove.
"Why did he talk like that? I mean, it's a king-to-king message, we should be equals… where's the need for formality?" Lancelot shook his head.
"I am but a knight. I do not pretend to understand the whims and wills of royalty. I merely serve to follow them."
"Aaaand?" Sonic stared at him for a moment, and Lancelot smirked in return.
"And to always put the people my king presides over before the king himself… Strange order for a king to give, but the people love you for it."
"Well," Sonic stood up, stretching his legs and back, "without the people, there's nothing. A country is just land without people, a king is just a man without people, a city is just buildings, and without people back home, fighting is pointless." Lancelot stared at him for a moment in disbelief.
"I can't express how incredibly rehearsed that sounds…"
"Yeah, been working on it. Listen, I'm getting a little stir crazy, all this quiet boredom…Wanna go out to the courtyard and spar? I have to keep my skills up if I'm going to impress Lot at that tournament." Lancelot gripped Ddraig Goch tightly, its red and black blade glistening in the light.
"I should warn you, my liege, that this blade is far more suited to me than a sacred sword ever was…"
"Yeah, he's a hell of a blacksmith…seems to know just how to make a weapon to match its master. I'm…thinking of moving his forge into the castle, having him the official, royal blacksmith." Lancelot nodded at Sonic.
"And he could begin work at once…It is high time that you get some armor." Sonic laughed heartily.
"That'd slow me down! You only need armor if you're gonna get hit." Laughing a bit, they walked to the court yard, ready to test their meddle against each other. Sonic drew Excalibur, and stood motionless, almost not even breathing, waiting for Lancelot to make the first move. The moment Lancelot moved at all, Sonic rushed his sword in between them to parry the blow as Lancelot suddenly appeared in front of him with a flash of light, their blades locked together. Sonic shoved him away, watching for his next opening. Lancelot leapt backward, and his hands began to glow as he gripped his sword. Sonic's eyes went wide as brilliant spearheads flew without shafts, glowing red, as he frantically parried them all. Lancelot prepared to launch another volley, but as soon as his first shot was off, Sonic dashed in, slashing through the spearhead, and then striking the sword out of Lancelot's hand.
"You're…Getting even better at reading an enemy's movements…" Lancelot smiled, impressed. "At a distance, I thought that I could defeat you without giving you a chance to close the gap." Sonic smiled, handing him his sword.
"Well, you got a few good shots in, Lancelot." Sonic wiped a small spot of blood from his cheek, revealing no cut beneath it. His eyes then turned to the scabbard. "Wow. I love this thing!" Lancelot could only laugh, and Sonic quickly joined in.
Having heard the sounds of battle, the other knights rushed out to the courtyard, arms drawn. In the end, they all decided they could use some practice, after Sonic told them of the tournament. The sounds of steel filled the castle, along with the laughter of friendship.
After two days, the royal blacksmith had officially opened his forge in the castle, in one of the many areas that the new king had opened to his people, though, as this king was no fool, he kept guards posted inside the castle. Luckily, a shortage of knights did not mean a shortage of soldiers. As the blacksmith now resided in the castle, it was by no great coincidence that the king saw him on the way to the ball.
"Hey, what're you doing in your shop?" The smith smiled brightly, holding a red-hot piece of iron in his tongs, and his hammer in his other hand.
"Tournament's coming up. I thought you might want at least a breastplate for it." Sonic shook his head.
"I just realized…I never even learned your name." The blacksmith bowed his head.
"Fabron, my liege. Fabron the Smith." Sonic smiled at him, and took the tongs and hammer from his hands, setting them aside.
"Come on! Let's go to the party!"
"But, my liege, I've work to do!"
"All work and no play." Sonic replied, smirking.
"What about it?" Fabron started at him quizzically, The Shining having never existed in the realm of King Arthur.
"It'll…make you a dull boy…" Sonic felt stupid. Of course Fabron wouldn't get the reference. Nonetheless, Fabron seemed to get the point, but pestered Sonic, self conscious of his state, as he was sweaty and filthy from his work.
"Hey, just relax, Fabron. And call me Sonic. You've done a lot to support me. You deserve this party at least as much as I do. Maybe more." Fabron felt his cheeks get hot as he blushed. He sat around and played in his forge while Sonic had slain the greatest evils Camelot had seen in years! How could Fabron, a humble smith, have earned such an honor? Sonic spoke up, as if reading his thoughts.
"Behind any hero are the people who support him. Without you, Nimue, and so many others, I'd never have been able to make it through this." Fabron smiled, though he still didn't understand why he couldn't at least wash the soot from his face and the sweat from his brow.
The party was a wonderful event. While some of the nobles gathered frowned on the presence of commoners, they didn't have much time to focus their distaste on the lower class, but instead, they stared in shock at the king's apparent lack of tact, as he personally went out of his way to annoy any one of them. The knights happily chattered away with the blacksmith, asking for tips on maintenance, making business requests, and even inquiring as to weaknesses to certain armors. Sonic mostly sat at the round table, enjoying the feast laid before him, though it wasn't long before he realized the lack of comfort on Lancelot's face as Nimue approached him.
"Lancelot, you seem kinda flustered. What's wrong? Do you have a crush on the Lady of the Lake?" Lancelot's eyes went wide as he sputtered and choked, trying to articulate his response. Nimue placed her hand on his shoulder, and he calmed down, smiling and blushing at her.
"Mother…" Sonic quirked his brow, staring at them.
"Nimue? You're Lancelot's mom?" Nimue smiled gently.
"I have never had a child, but I did raise him…his parents died, fleeing from their overthrown kingdom. I spirited him away, and raised him as my own son, to be a wonderful knight…I even taught him some magic, to assist him in his knightly duties…" Lancelot blushed harder, staring at the ground. Sonic's eyes lit up with understanding.
"So THAT'S how you can do all those things…And here I thought you were hiding a chaos emerald from me…" Lancelot and Nimue stared at Sonic, bewildered. "It's…It's something from my world…Never mind, it's not important." Not important. If only they knew. In his world, there's seldom a thing more important. Every evil, every monster, every dictator, they all seek out the limitless power. As he thought, he stared the ceiling, and his mind drifted to his friends. How were they doing? Who had the chaos emeralds right now? Had Eggman regained the forces he needed to launch his next big attack yet? He was shaken by these thoughts as he heard a request that, as their host, he be willing to take at least one dance on the floor. He knew people probably wouldn't appreciate his moves, not in this time, at least, but he had arranged the appropriate music beforehand regardless, because, well, it was a party. If he was going to dance, he'd have fun. Who cared if he looked stupid? Well, the whole kingdom might care, but he didn't. when he finished, the room was silent, and no one present dared to ask him to do anything like that ever again.
Alright, that's it for this one. Next chapter will take place in the past. Every odd numbered chapter from three to nine is going to be an actual legend of the knights of the round table. The first one is a bit long, though, so Sir Gawain and the Green Knight's legend will have to be split into chapters three and five. Also, since he didn't already have a name, I came up with Fabron, because it actually means Young Blacksmith.