The Knight Standing Between FATE

Chapter Two: Apprentice

"𝗜 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. 𝗜'𝗺 𝗮 𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗜'𝗺 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲."- 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗸𝘆𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗲𝗿

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Alaric POV:

I groaned, slowly awaking my eyes meet a royally decorated ceiling compared to the dirty wooden one that I was used to.

The sound of a door opening caught my attention, and when I looked up I saw that it was the same lady who I had seen before I collapsed.

She gazes at me with an intense stare "I see that you've finally awakened child. Tell me, what is your name?" She asked gently.

Hesitantly, I reply "My name is Alaric...just Alaric no last name my lady," she frowns for some reason. "Well, Alaric my name is Arthur Pendragon, and I am not a lady my appearance just looks a bit womanly is all," she replies.

My eyes widen in awe "Pendragon..." I whispered. I then tilted my head curiously "my lady, why is it that you hide your identity to that of a male?" I ask in curiosity watching her light frown turn harder.

She opens her mouth to say something, but I interrupted "A child, I may be my 'King' but know that I am not so blind as the people that surround you to not be aware of your true gender. At first glance your armor is the first thing that gave it away after all what kind of 'King' wears armor looking like that of a woman's?"

Arthur muttered underneath his breath something I could barely hear "very well, I admit that I am a female but know that there will be serious consequences should you attempt to expose this information," she replies sternly.

A smile makes its way onto my face "I wouldn't dream of it after all who would believe me...now then why is it that I am here?" I asked maintaining a calm voice. Arthur cleared her throat and replied, "tell me do you recall what it exactly was that you did last night during the attack on your former master's land?"

I shook my head "I know not of what you speak of my 'King' I only know that I invoked some sort of strange energy within myself...I used it to end my former master and his hired goons," I explained with a slight pause my voice caught up in my throat.

For so long, I feared I would never be able to escape him but now I had and to be honest it felt damn amazing if only my friends had lived long enough to see this day, I thought with hidden grief.

The 'Kings' gaze lightens a bit "I see well that energy you used is known as mana, something that few are born with it's what allows mages to use their spells, but I've never seen anyone manipulate theirs the way you did last night not even my court advisor Merlin and elder sister Morgan could do such a thing," she explains, and then pauses her eyes gaining a look of contemplation.

"Tell me, Alaric how would you feel about becoming a knight under my banner? Should you do so then I am sure you would also have a chance at having my court advisor taking you on as an apprentice," she finally offered.

For the second time that day I was in shock how many could say that they were personally offered to become a knight under 'King' Arthur 'himself' but then again, I've been a slave all my life. All I ever cared about was having my freedom I never really thought about what I wanted to do after I had escaped.

If my friends were still with me, then perhaps it wouldn't have been too bad to wonder the lands but being all alone was something I did not want and now here in front of me lies a path that I could take.

My sight is covered once more to the sight of Arthur herself drowning away in the depths of an unknown void. The vision fades just as quickly as it came yes, I now knew my answer "I...I would be honored to be one of your knights, but who will teach me?" I asked wanting to double check if she alone would train me.

Arthur nods her head in satisfaction "excellent and as for who your teacher will be well, I cannot teach you all the time since I have my duties as king to attend to most times so one of my finest knights will be the one to teach you come in Sir Lancelot," she said tilting her head towards the door.

The door opened, revealing a purple-armored knight without his helmet. He had long purple hair along with a face that most ladies would probably fall for "you called for me my King," Lancelot presumably said with a bow.

"Yes, I did in fact Lancelot come forward and meet your soon to be apprentice," she said gesturing towards me. Lancelot's eyes widen a tiny bit "an apprentice? My king I am not so sure I am ready-" his words were cut off when Arthur gave him a sharp look "are you questioning my order?" she asked coldly Lancelot quickly shakes head and says "no no never my king I shall meet the boy."

Slowly he walks forward towards my bedside, hesitantly he kneels down to my eye level "hello there child it's nice to meet you I am Sir Lancelot Du Lac a member of the King's Round Table," he proudly introduced extending a hand forward.

I looked at his hand suspiciously until I grasped it with my smaller one "nice to meet you, teacher Lancelot my name is Alaric no last name," I replied with a small smile.

"Good, now that you've both been acquainted let us leave the boy to rest now. Tomorrow you two will have a long day," Arthur said before turning back to me "I'll have a servant deliver you some food, then you shall continue to rest and recover." She continued grabbing Lancelot by the shoulder and dragging him out of the room for no reason, even though he could just walk out himself "ah my King please not so hard your hurting my arm!" Lancelot cried as the door to the room closed.

Perhaps this won't be too bad right? I question to myself. 

-end of chapter two- 

 Morgan has yet to betray Artoria or reveal her intentions just an FYI for those who were confused when Artoria mentioned her.