The Kidnapped Prince

Epilogue-Sir Owain

Dressed in his pendragon red knight uniform, Sir Owain hoists a powerful crossbow up to eye level. He keeps the tip of the arrow aimed at the prince's shoulder blades. Under him, his horse shifts and paws the ground. With an intake of breath, Sir Owain pulls the crossbow's trigger.

The arrow whizzes through the air and, with a sickening thunk, sinks into the prince's back. Even from a distance, Sir Owain can tell the arrow did its job. The prince gasps in his parent's arms, struggling to take in air. Then he takes his last breath.

Sir Owain urges his horse to move. He's gone before the wailing of Camelot's Queen reaches his ears. The rider and mount weave through houses until they reach the outer wall. From there, they gallop across the grassy plains.

Behind Sir Owain, Sir Bedivere, Sir Percival, Sir Gawain, Lady Alys and their squires, Galahad and Gaheris, ride after him. Hoping to close the gap and catch him. But the shock of what happened slowed them.

Sir Owain makes it to the forest. And they do not follow.

The knight slows his horse until he's at a trot. Then Sir Owain makes his way toward Rheged. Hours later, at around midday, Sir Owain blinks rapidly. A fog that has laid waste to his mind lifts.

Standing in the middle of the road is a curly-haired blonde woman. Only she looks familiar, too familiar. Sir Owain blinks a few more times before it clicks. Four months ago, he passed her over for someone else to marry.

Six weeks ago, the woman appeared in his dream and told him that her time as a mortal is over. It's time for her to take her place. But first, revenge. She told Sir Owain that he will kidnap Prince Lohot for her to be used as a sacrifice to gain access to Avalon.

Sir Owain refused. But being a water sprite, the woman has sway. She used her magic to cloud his mind and make him obey her commands. She even used a familiar face or two to do it. The water sprite wore the faces of Queen Morgan and King Urien. Together the royal couple and their son made formidable allies.

"I take my leave of this plane of existence. Have your whore wife, and don't forget Sir Owain. You reap what your sow," Viviane growls as she disappears from her place on the road. Never to be seen by the mortal eye again.

The water sprite, Viviane, got her revenge. And it tasted sweeter than the waters of Avalon.

Back in Rheged, Queen Morgan wakes in her room. Her mind suddenly cleared. She thinks back to the past few days but finds she can't recall. Not properly, at least. It feels like a thick headache has cleared.

Beside Queen Morgan is her husband, King Urien. To his wife's surprise, King Urien looks like she feels. She asks if he can remember the last few weeks. This time King Urien gets to look surprised. He tells her he can't.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The King and Queen look at their bedroom door and then at each other. King Urien yells for whoever it is to come in. A serving girl walks in and asks if they need anything. The royal couple asks what has happened these past few weeks.

The girl looks taken aback but takes her task seriously. After an hour, the royals dismiss the girl. The girl isn't three feet away from the door when Queen Morgan spits a spell as fast as she can. A swirling portal opens in the middle of her and the king's bedroom.

Back in the forest, a portal opens in front of Sir Owain. Knowing his mother's colours, Sir Owain urges his horse through the portal. When he passes through, he arrives in his parent's bed chamber.

"You could have warned that you were on a horse." Queen Morgan growls at her son.

Sir Owain shrugs and asks if they know what has happened in Camelot.