The Once and Future Queen || Arthur Pendragon

i

Camelot lay on the horizon.

The sight of the strong, proud castle, nestled above the busy lower towns, was as beautiful as everyone said. The mightiest of the five kingdoms, the blood-red flags painted with the golden dragon rippled in the early morning wind. The symbol of the mighty Pendragons, that inspired hope for its friends and fear in its enemies.

Kara knew which one she was, but the threat did not stop her from approaching the castle. It wasn't as if she had much choice in the matter. She had been pointed in the direction of Camelot by a dying seer she had met three nights ago. The old woman had gripped her arm tightly, with her parting strength, her nails digging into her soft flesh. She muttered nonsense about destiny, Camelot and magic. Kara had promised the woman that she would go to Camelot as the light left the seer's eyes. It was the last place she would be welcomed but Kara kept her promises.

She pulled the hood of her forest green cloak over her head to hide her face in shadows. She offered a nod to the guards on either side of the large iron gate, not to draw any ill attention towards herself. Kara walked out into the bustling streets of Camelot; the lower town was alive with excitement and noise. The brunette looked around eagerly, taking in the stalls and shops filling the streets with bright-eyed interest. The products ranged from beautiful fabrics to luscious looking apples whilst the stall-keepers shout out prices and advertisements to draw in the crowds. The people of Camelot were happily milling around as they went about their everyday lives. All without a care in the world. Oh, how she wished to be like them but nothing in her life had ever been simple since she had left home.

A sudden scream shocked Kara away from her thoughts, and her hand snapped to hilt of her sword strapped to her belt in reflex. She looked around wildly for the nearest sign of danger and saw a man holding a knife against a young woman's throat. She had black hair that was curling down to her shoulders and her brown eyes were alight with fear. There was a crowd amassed around them, but the people were too fearful to make a move against the unhinged man.

Kara had no such qualms and calmly stepped towards the pair. "Let her go," she said, her voice soft but firm to the man.

He merely laughed mockingly. An ugly sneer formed across his face as he looked down at her, "And what are you going to do if I don't girly?"

She unsheathed her sword in a fluid motion, and pointed it at the man dangerously, "I can do a lot trust me." The man glanced down at her in anger before he shoved the girl to the ground and pulled out his sword.

He faced Kara with a taunting smile, but she stood solid, unconcerned by the turn of events. The man was a thug, the lowest a man could get. She had met too many of his kind in her travels and knew to wait patiently for him to make the first move. His arrogance would be his downfall. He lunged; sword outstretched in a deadly swing. The crowd gasped in sudden fear but the noise hadn't resonated with Kara as she merely dodged the swing, stepping to the side with ease as he stumbled past her.

The man spun back around to face her, his dark eyes ablaze with anger. He rushed forward, attacking with full strength. Kara was easily able to hold her own and blocked every single one of his blows, her arm moved from side to side like her sword was simply an extension of her arm. He did not have the skill to back his arrogance.

"Look out!" a voice screamed at her from the sidelines.

Without a moment of hesitation, she ducked, and a second man's sword flew over her head from behind, not even a second later. She straightened, span her sword in her hand and looked between the two men in front of her. "Oh, come on now, two against one is hardly fair," She claimed but with a daring look in her eyes. As she looked between them, a small smirk twitched at the corners of her mouth. The men in front of her grinned manically, stupidly mistaking her amusement for fear.