A Knight's Purpose (Book 1) ✔️

Chapter 37 - A Knight's Purpose

Eyes still slightly slitted gaze down at me with a smile. "Hello, Gwen. I've missed you all terribly."

"Arthur, I... I..." Words fail me. There's nothing I can say to him to explain what he's missed, what we've lost.

He takes a step and twists his ankle, going down in a tangle of gangly limbs. I hop up and grab an arm to lift him back to his feet. The rough cloth of his shirt startles me and reminds me of the things I've taken for granted in this era.

"Careful, you've been in stone for a few thousand years. It might take some time to get used to your human form again."

He frowns. "So long?" His hand reaches up to rub his head as if to dispel a headache.

"You were very seriously injured at the last stand. Lance... he pushed you through but you couldn't keep the rift open. We managed to cast the healing spell and you succumbed to the stone but we didn't think you would need this long. The magic here is weak, My Lord. We did not think..." 

He places a hand on my shoulder and squeezes hard. "Look at me, Gwen."

I move to stand in front of him and slowly lift my gaze.

"You have nothing to apologize to me for. No one could have predicted the flow of magic to this realm." He squeezes my shoulder to emphasize his point. "No one. You have done everything I asked of you and more, I'm sure."

"Yes, My Lord."

"Gwen!" He scoffs at me. "For magic's sake my name is Arthur. You know I have never liked the title of King or Lord and we shall always be friends before Master and servant. I never wanted all of you to put me on this pedestal or serve me."

My voice trembles as I answer. "Arthur, I'm not Gwen anymore. I haven't been her for a very long time now. If ever I was your friend I do not deserve that post now. Hell, I barely deserve even the post of servant."

He gives a light chuckle but it doesn't raise my mood and he quickly stops and turns serious again.

"You could never disappoint me such that I would displace you so. If you are not Gwen then what shall I call you?"

"I go by Eve," I swallow.

"Then, Eve, whatever you believe you have done to lose my friendship, and I can assure you that you will be wrong on that count, I know that should you help me now you can mend that rift. I believe in you just as much now as I did then." He breaks into a wide smile. "Because to me now and then are only a few moments apart."

He goes solemn quickly when I drop my eyes again. "I am very proud of you, Eve. For being here even if it is alone. You are here."

For some reason, his belief in me is too much. It's more than I can handle. Tears pour from my eyes as I shake my head. To him I may be the same but for me so much has happened.

I am not a Knight anymore. Shaking free of him, I turn and bolt back out the door leaving him behind.

I make it almost all the way to the sea before collapsing to my knees. I let out a scream but it goes nowhere, just streaming off into the silent distance.

I manage to stop crying and get my breathing under control before turning to look back the way I came. I almost cower as I see an imposing figure walking towards me. He clearly needed little time to adjust because he is all man as he strides across the pasture to stand before me.

His green eyes blaze, so similar to those of the dragon that it's almost obvious how powerful he in to his true form. So much so that it bleeds into his human form. 

He stand before me, hands on hips covered in black leather, glaring down and he passes judgement.

"You have lost something." He frowns at me, a hand reaching out to gently tilt up my chin.