A Heart For A Heart

The Once and Future Queen Part 1

Alexandra's Point Of View:

Gwen and I were standing on the lush green grass, surrounded by the sound of galloping horses and clanging of armor. We were at the edge of a large arena, watching the knights practice jousting for the upcoming tournament. The sun was shining down on us, making the knights' armor glimmer like silver. The moment had arrived - Arthur versus Leon. The two fearless knights were on their magnificent noir horses, galloping towards each other at full speed. The small crowd was holding their breath as the knights got closer and closer. As they approached each other, Leon lifted his lance to avoid hitting the prince. Whereas, Arthur was blinded by Leon's armor and missed his target. The prince's horse stayed steady as Leon looped around and hopped off his horse next to me. I couldn't help but blush as he removed his helmet. Sweat was dripping down his face, and his eyes were gleaming with victory and disappointment. He turned towards the prince, who was visibly angry, as he threw his lance on the ground and flung himself off his horse. He removed his helmet before speaking, "Why did you pull out? I was wide open. You could have unhorsed me."

Leon responded in the same tone clearly affected by the situation, "I feared I might injure you, sire."

"You had the advantage. You can't afford to hesitate," Arthur yelled. I stepped forward the tension only growing.

"Arthur," I warned.

"I wouldn't have done it if I were facing a different opponent," Leon paused, "You are the future king, my lord."

"You jousted against me in the tournament last year. Are you saying you let me win?" It never occurred to me the sacrifices the knights had to make for Arthur.

"No, my lord." Arthur turned towards the rest of the knights. He was hurt.

"It doesn't matter who I am. I do not expect any special treatment from any of you! Is that understood?" The prince went towards the palace with Merlin on his tail.

The knights nodded, but Leon looked disappointed. I stood on my tiptoes and whispered in his ear. "You did what you thought was right. I understand, Leon." He glanced down at me and smiled. This time I didn't whisper, "Why don't we go for a walk to decompress once you finish your duties?"

"Sounds great, I'll meet you in the square," he bent down and kissed my cheek. I watched him walk off. Gwen giggled next to me at the redness of my face.

"So you and Leon?"

"No, no, not exactly. It's complicated."

"Maybe because you have feelings for a certain prince," she teased. I nudged her and we returned to the palace. I wanted to change into a more comfortable dress and undo my hair from its nest. Around the evening, I sat on the stones of the fountain waiting for a special knight.

Leon's Point of View:

As I descended the palace steps towards the main square, my thoughts were consumed with Arthur's lack of understanding. Despite being a knight, he failed to recognize the subtle boundaries that exist between us and him. The evening air was refreshing, and I breathed it in deeply, hoping to clear my head. My eyes were drawn towards the fountain in the center of the square, and as I approached it, I noticed a woman sitting there. She was breathtakingly beautiful, her long raven hair flowing softly in the breeze. Her dress was a stunning shade of blue-green that seemed to capture the colors of Avalon Lake. As I got closer, I noticed the intricate details of the dress and the way it hugged her curves and flowed around her legs. The white clouds in the sky provided the perfect backdrop, making her look like a goddess. My thoughts were interrupted as I reached the sparkling fountain, and I couldn't help but steal one last glance at the mystical woman.