Swan Song

Into the Woods Part 2

"Pleasure to meet you, your highness," Lock said, noting the woman's cold exterior. "I am Lock, the court sorcerer."

Titania paused. "I'd been led to believe that role was being filled by Merlin."

"It was!" Arthur said happily, jumping down from his throne. "Lock's way better, though! He can already do things it took Merlin years to learn!"

"Is that so?"

"Indeed," Lock confirmed. It wasn't even close to the truth. Yes, he had talent, but he was still no match for the much more experienced sorcerer.

"Was Merlin himself not a prodigy?" the queen asked.

"He was," Arthur answered, not giving Lock a chance to speak. "But Lock's from a whole 'nother world!"

Lock winced internally, wishing the eleven-year-old would shut up. "Your majesty," he said politely, "please be careful about what information you share."

"Arthur laughed. "You're so silly. The fairies aren't our enemies. They can't hurt us."

Lock turned to Titania, expecting her to elaborate. She picked up on this desire right away. "It is a treaty we signed long ago. A fairy's oath is their prison. We are physically incapable of attacking Camelot."

The young sorcerer wanted the chance to talk to her alone, since he was sure Arthur would only be in the way. He took a long, hard look at the boy, and noted the many dirty spots on his dark skin. "Your majesty, is it not time for your bath?"

"But isn't this more important?"

"Nothing I can't deal with," Lock assured him. "Don't you trust me?"

You shouldn't, he added to himself, but knew better than to ever speak those words.

"Well," Arthur said hesitantly, looking from Lock to Titania. "I guess it should be ok."

"How about you also prepare a feast for our guest?"

The boy grinned happily. "Yeah!" He took off in a sprint, and Lock sighed with relief.

"That was cold," the queen said. "He is just a child."

"All the more reason he should not be wearing a crown."

"Understandable sentiments. I suffer from a similar situation myself."

"Which I'm sure is related to this rare visit."

Titania nodded. "Indeed. You see, I've come to ask Camelot for help. My throne has been usurped."

"Why does that matter to us?" Lock asked, knowing full well he sensed Vanitas crossing over into Azteca. This wasn't something he was willing to share, however. The less a potential enemy knows about you, the better. "That seems like an issue for the fair folk to deal with on their own."

"Normally it would be, but I was usurped by no fairy. You see, the one from whom I fled is Oberon."

That surprised the boy. "Is he not your most famous ruler?" He didn't understand why Vanitas would go by such a name.

"He is," Titania replied. "Still, he last ruled a long, long time ago. Nothing we knew of him was for certain. Information about him was passed down through children's stories, and they all said he was a fairy. The power he used in the forest is not something a fairy could ever possess. We use the power of nature, and that - that thing - is not natural in the least. When I looked at him, I felt..." She paused, seemingly incapable of choosing a word.

"Nothing?" Lock offered, then regretted it.

"Yes, that's it exactly. How did you know?"

Thinking about his answer carefully, Lock answered, "I sensed a dark power when it flew over Camelot. I can only assume this was what was powerful enough to make the great queen Titania flee."