The Knight Standing Between FATE

Chapter Eleven: Arrival

"𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭! 𝐈'𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐞... 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮... 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮! 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨." 

– 𝐈𝐳𝐮𝐤𝐮 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐲𝐚

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Alaric POV

"Welcome King Arthur we are honored that you've accepted our invitation," greeted King Lot with Lady Morgan standing by his side. 

Artoria grasped his hand into a firm handshake "the honor is all mine King Lot come shall we make our way to the festivities," she replied in her kingly voice Morgan nodded her head "of course brother we shall escort you to the feast while I procure some servants to have your horses tended to." 

Morgan discreetly gave a nod towards both Sir Gawain and Agravaine for what reason I am not sure of.

Our journey to King Lot's land took one day when night arrived the next day we had finally arrived at the doorsteps of their castle.  It was nothing like the castle of Camelot there seemed to be a hint of darkness that coated both the interiors and exteriors of the castle for some reason it made me feel uneasy. 

I fell behind next to Sir Gawain and Sir Lancelot while keeping my distance away from Agravaine as we walked down to where the festivities were.

When we arrived the sounds of cheering increased, I awkwardly stuck myself next to Lancelot not really knowing what do.

 Noticing this Lancelot chuckled "come now Alaric don't be so shy your supposed to be 'Brave' you know so go enjoy yourself who knows you may even find yourself in good company," Lancelot suggested with a wink. 

My eyes twitch at his words "you perverted fool! Can you for once not think with your dick have some basic human decency, I am only fifteen years old," I scolded causing him to wince from how loud I was. 

"Ah Sir Alaric you may want to lower your voice ahem there are people staring at us now," Gawain informed me with a nervous smile plastered on his face. 

I felt myself stiffen up slowly I rotate myself back taking note of the various people staring along with the look Artoria was giving me right now from her seat next to King Lot I gulped. 

"On second thought I think I'll just sit in the corner table over there where I won't be disturbed enjoy yourself Sir Gawain and you can throw yourself into a well Sir Lancelot," I said with a stink glare. 

With a swish (insert the dramatic Snape walk) I walked over to where the food was grabbed myself a large plate and goblet. 

Once I filled the plate to the brim, I poured water into my goblet before heading over to the corner spot where I sat for the next few minutes or so alone. 

"I am surprised to see you just seating here by your lonesome Sir Alaric," came the familiar voice of Lady Morgan which made me freeze up for a moment. 

"...Ah well I am afraid I am not much of a social person unlike Sir Lancelot or Sir Gawain not to mention the fact that I don't know any of these people either," I finally replied with a small head bow. 

Morgan rose a brow about that "oh well what about Sir Agravaine why don't you join him since he appears to not have any company either?" she asked.

I huffed with distain in response "he and I do not get along so well we can barely tolerate each other as it is," I admitted taking a slow sip from my goblet of water.

"I shouldn't be so surprised about that even as a child Agravaine was a bit...petulant shall we say," Morgan replied. 

My brows shot up in shock "wait you mean to tell me that you're his mother?!" I exclaimed in a low shout so that I didn't cause a commotion again.

 Morgan chuckles in response "well of course he is along with your other fellow knight Gawain there's also my other two sons over there Gareth and Gaheris who will be participating in the tournament later tomorrow," she explained. 

"wow...I wonder why Sir Gawain never said anything about it?" I pondered glancing back and forth between Gawain who was chatting with a woman while Agravaine sat a distance away glaring at everyone. 

She shook her head "my children simply prefer not to say anything about our relation so as to not gather more attention to themselves," she replied shifting her posture a bit "so tell me Alaric how goes your training with Merlin?" she asked with a knowing glint. 

"He's a good teacher at times but can be distracted easily by the sight of a maiden which has made learning a bit difficult but luckily we've managed to completely cover the basics of magecraft, enchanting, and Illusions. 

Two days ago, we were supposed to go over my affinities and origin but only had time to go over my affinities as our time was cut short for this wonderful party that you've graciously prepared," I explained in a way that didn't offend her at the end. 

She hummed in thought not looking offended in any sort of way "truly I sympathize with you he was no better when it came to training me either always goofing off with some random women but tell me what are your affinities if you don't mind me asking?" she said with a tint of both anger and resentment when she spoke of her learning with Merlin. 

I hesitate remembering Merlin's warning to be careful around her but I could sense no malice from her so I didn't think it would be so bad to tell her "not at all my lady the affinities that I am most aligned to are fire, lightning, and darkness." 

Her eyes widen at the last one "my three affinities is certainly something but to think you would have darkness as an element who would have thought..." she murmured under her breath I raise a brow in response "what do you mean by that is there something bad with having an affinity to darkness?" I asked.

"No there's nothing wrong with having that element it's just a tad bit surprising and coincidental that we both should have an affinity for darkness....tell me my dear Alaric how would you like to learn a bit from your senior I could probably teach you more things related to your affinities then whatever Merlin could?" she offered for a moment I could have sworn her eyes changed into a lighter shade of blue.  

I must be imagining things I thought with a mental chuckle "it would be an honor if you could teach me my lady," I took her offer without hesitation. 

Any additional teaching I received would hopefully increase my level of strength to hopefully match the likes of Vortigern and Artoria or maybe even beyond. 

Morgan smiles "excellent we shall hold our lessons in my private study chamber you are to come by every day after you've defeated your opponents for the weeklong tournament," she replied. 

-end of chapter eleven-

Decided to post early instead of the usual time since I didn't post at all these past two week.

the tournament starts chapter 12