They entered the game in the great hall of Camelot, beautifully restored to its full glory, redolent with banners, tapestries, flowers, statues, and plenty of tables and benches for all the people they had stolen back from Maleagant.Who would hopefully make Camelot their new home, and not mind too much they could not return to the real world.
Hopefully, one day soon, this fight would be over and they could welcome still more people, and Camelot would thrive andliveagain.
Percival looked around."I'm surprised Maleagant didn't just come and help himself."
"Hecan't," Merlin said."Camelot belongs to us.We died, restarted this mess before he could properly claim it.So claim it he must, and that means he cannot enter here until he takes it.They could impede us with that nasty fog and other measures, but not keep us out entirely."
"First order of business is the people they killed at the tournament," Arthur said, climbing the steps of the dais and taking his throne.Guinevere took hers, resplendent in blue and gold and her beautiful crown of gold vines, silver leaves, and bejeweled flowers.Arthur's was simpler, with very little ornamentation, but no less impressive for that.
Lancelot withdrew, because they had all decided that it would be better to keep the number of people explaining the matter to a minimum.Arthur, Guinevere, and Merlin would handle that.The rest of them had duties around the castle to attend, as Camelot was one of the oldest versions of the 'city that never slept'.
Far too anxious to focus on his duties immediately, though, Lancelot retreated to the water.He swam down to the sunken castle, to his glowing throne, and closed his eyes."Mother, I have need of your counsel, if you've time and inclination to give it."
When he opened his eyes, it was to see a beautiful fish swimming toward him, like a beta fish grown to impossible proportions, its beautiful blue scales fading out to a pink tail that seemed to fan out in every direction.It held something in its mouth.As the fish reached him, Lancelot held out his hand.
The fish dropped a ring in it, so much like the one he already wore, but silver in color and set with a blue pearl.Lancelot smiled softly."Thank you, Mother.Your counsel is appreciated."He extended his other hand, and the fish swam into and around it before gliding up to his face to rub against his cheek."Thank you, little beauty.Swim safe."
As the fish swam off and vanished from sight, Lancelot felt a new presence at the lakeshore.Someone was standing in his waters.Pushing off the throne, he swam for the surface and then to shore, not bothering to shift back to human, because anyone dwelling at Camelot would have to become used to the 'strangeness' of the Captain of the Knights of Camelot.
His heart seized in his chest as he saw his visitor.
"I can't believe you weren't lying," Kay said, eyes the size of dinner plates."Sir Lancelot du Lac himself.Whatareyou?"
"A child of the Waters.Nota mermaid," Lancelot added sourly."They look completely different, and they're really fucking annoying.What brings you to see me, Master Kay?Have you chosen to reside here in Camelot?"
Kay gave a shaky laugh."It's a lot to take in, but I wanted to come apologize."
"No!"Lancelot surged forward, hugged him tightly, hating the way that Kay trembled."You owe me no apologies.It is I who must apologize to you."
Kay hugged him back, which shocked Lancelot again, despite having his mother's blessing for the thoughts that had been lurking in his head from the moment Merlin had said Kay might still be alive."Let's just call it even, huh?We were both being tournament show-offs.Though you showed off better for sure."He drew back and smiled."Guess you had an edge, though."
"I got youkilled.I don't think there is any 'calling it even.'"
"Yeah, well, what kind of life did I have back out there, really?So far as I'm concerned, this is an upgrade.You think I'm going to miss living in a hovel and serving rich people food that could pay for rent a thousand times over?"He lifted his left hand, wholly intact now."You probably saw my hand.I tripped one night, spilled the main course all over a trillionaire guest.The owner was so angry he ordered the head cook to chop off two of my fingers, and he docked my wages for the week.You really think I give a damn about out there?"He vehemently shook his head, beautiful red hair flying about."Forget about it.Please."
Lancelot sighed."As you wish, then.You put up an excellent fight.Was that entirely game skill, or did you learn to fight in the real world?"
"Back where I used to live, before my sister died and everything, we lived next door to this old vet who insisted on teaching me everything he knew.Even really old school shit, like retro guns and swords, all of it.I didn't want to do it at first, but he wouldn't relent, and I got into it pretty quick.He was a really cool guy.Died in the same accident that killed my sister, and by accident, I meant the usual gross negligence crap."
"Yeah, I hear you.Has Arthur started pestering you about training?"
"He said anyone would be happy to take me on as a squire, though mostly to teach me the stuff I don't know.Magic and shit.Not that I have any.Sadly, the fire was entirely the game and cheating.Didn't really like it much anyway.Fire was what killed my sister, so not my favorite thing in the world."
Lancelot smiled faintly."How about water?"
Kay stared at him."Water would…wait, you mean train under you?But they said nobody else had water, that it's pretty rare and shit, and you're like the special case of special cases."
"I was thrown into a lake because my parents didn't want the burden of raising a child.It wasn't entirely uncommon back then," Lancelot said, and told his tale, which was really quite simple in the end, though dramatic.When he'd finished, he offered the ring his mother had given him."It will be some time before you can command water in any significant way, you have to build up to it, same as training your body.But if you are willing, and have patience, then I would have you as my squire happily.
"Really, you qualify as a knight already.Many knights learn magic after the fact, as they fight and quest, earn boons and gifts.Arthur is giving you a trial period, so you are not bound to this life immediately.There's technically nothing stopping you from striking out on your own, building any sort of life you want that's available here."
"Nah, this place already feels more right than anywhere else I've ever lived," Kay said, plucking the ring from his fingers and sliding it onto the middle finger of his right hand, where Lancelot wore his own."You really want to help me?"
"Just no more stupid Hobbit names."
"I thought it was funny," Kay said with a sigh."So what happens now?"
"Do you know how to swim?"
