The Modern Knight

The Loss of Lancelot

The 21st of February, 2014

Nicolette, now twenty-two, had been out taking Artoria for a walk when she felt her phone start to vibrate. She pulled out the phone, only to see the flashing red outline of the symbol of the Kingsman.

"Sorry Tori, looks like we're going to have to cut the walk short today," Nicolette said before starting to move quickly towards her flat on London, "Heel."

It took Nicolette a little longer than she had wanted, but she arrived at the Kingsman tailor shop as quickly as she could.

"Arthur and Galahad are in the dinning room, Miss," Sebastian said, looking up briefly from the suit he was working on.

Nicolette gave a quick nod before ascending the stairs to reach the dinning room on the second floor of the tailor shop, putting on her Kingsman glasses as she went. When she rounded the corner, she saw Arthur and her "Uncle" Harry inside.

"Guinevere. Thank you for coming," Arthur said.

Nicolette was about to speak before she saw that all active Kingsmen agents were gathered, but one seat was empty. And to top that off, shot glasses were out, as well as a bottle of an eighteen-fifteen Napoleonic brandy.

"Please tell me this isn't what I believe it is," Nicolette said, stationary in the doorway.

"I am afraid so, Guinevere. Please, take a seat," Harry said, motioning to the seat that would be her father's.

"With all do respect, Galahad, I cannot sit where he is meant to be."

"Very well," Arthur said before beginning the meeting, "Lady and Gentlemen, I'm thankful to say that it has been seventeen years since we last had occasion to use this decanter. Lancelot was an outstanding agent and a true Kingsman. So much so that it followed into his children. He will be sorely missed," Arthur paused to raise his glass, "To Lancelot."

"To Lancelot," The other Kingsman rang out.

Nicolette simply raised her glass in silence, fearing the strength of her voice would not be present, then drank the toast to her father.

"I intend to start the selection process for Lancelot's replacement tomorrow. I want each of you, with the exception of Guinevere, to propose a candidate and have them report to UKHQ no later than nine pm, GMT," Arthur stated once the toast was drunk, "Guinevere, you will be assisting Merlin in the selection process. Thank you."

Just as the meeting was concluded, Merlin was standing in the doorway to the dining room.

"Merlin. Come in," Arthur said in an ever so slightly warmer tone before becoming serious once again, "Lancelot was investigating a group of mercenaries who were experimenting with biological weaponry."

"Glasses, Lady and Gentlemen, please," Merlin said while standing to the side of the mirror which would be a screen only to those looking through Kingsman lenses.

Nicolette, Harry, and Arthur put on their glasses as Merlin loaded in the information he was presenting.

"Uganda, twenty-twelve," Merlin started, an image of dead bodies on the screen, "Synthetic cathinones. They put it in the water supply of a guerrilla army base. Rage, cannibalism, multiple fatalities," Merlin changed the screens, another image of killed persons on the screen, "Chechnya, twenty-thirteen. Insurgents turned on one another. Indisputably, the work of our mercenaries, but no trace of any chemicals of any kind."

"So what happened to Lancelot?" Nicolette asked, wanting to know how this information pertained to the death of her father.

Merlin changed the screen again, showing a cabin in snow covered mountains, "He tracked them to this property in Argentina. While he had them under surveillance, he became aware they'd effected a kidnapping. So he executed a solo rescue mission, which failed," Merlin touched his tablet, allowing a text message to appear on the screen, "This was his last transmission."

It read, "Kidnap victim is Professor James Arnold."

"Who is he?" Harry asked, referring to this "Professor James Arnold."

"Some climate-change doomsayer, expounds something called the Gaia theory, about the world healing its self or some such," While Merlin was talking, a person profile of Professor James Arnold was visible on the screen, "But what's curious, is he's not actually missing," Merlin flipped the screen to some CCTV footage, "This is Professor Arnold, at Imperial College, this morning."

"So my father died trying to save that man, only for him to be back where he works without issue?" Nicolette asked.

"It seems that way, Guinevere. I'm sorry," Merlin said, the later half being a bit softer.

"It's all yours," Arthur said to Harry.

Merlin handed Harry a copy of the case information as Arthur continued, "And don't forget your membership proposal. Try picking a more suitable candidate this time."

"Seventeen years, and still evolving  with the times remains an entirely foreign concept to you. Need I remind you I wouldn't be here if it weren't for that young man?" Harry asked, "And for all intents and purposes, neither would Guinevere. He was as much Kingsman material as any of them. More so."

"But he wasn't exactly, one of us, was he? Let's face it Galahad, your little experiment failed."

Getting up, Harry began to close the conversation, "With respect, Arthur, you're a snob."

"With respect?" Arthur asked.

"The world is changing. There's a reason why aristocrats develop weak chins."

And with that, Harry left.

"Guinevere," Arthur said after a moment of silence.

"Yes?" Nicolette returned.

Arthur reached into his suit and pulled a medal from the interior pocket, "Do you know what this is?"

Nicolette recognized the medal. She had seen Eggsy wearing it before but she never knew exactly what it was.

"No Arthur, not the specifics," Nicolette answered.

"This is the Kingsman Medal of Valor. I am allowing you to give this to your next of kin, as the promise of a favor. The possessor of this medal need only call the number on the back, speak the phrase 'Queen Guinevere,' and we will know it is time to enact the favor," Arthur said, holding out the medal.

"My next of kin, sir?" Nicolette asked while taking the medal.

"You are Lancelot's daughter. Your next of kin are the same as his," Arthur explained before changing the topic of the conversation one last time, "And, you may have now until six pm tomorrow evening to grieve. You may do with that time as you see fit."

Nicolette simply nodded while accepting the medal before leaving the dining room. She was met by Harry on her way out.

"Any idea who you're going to be proposing?" Nicolette asked as she started for the door.

"Not at the moment. Where are you off to now?" Harry asked, following his "niece" out the shop.

Harry was a good friend of James' and as such, he knew his children well. He was like an Uncle to Benjamin and Nicolette, and was called such, even if there wasn't any blood relation.

The same was true of Merlin.

"I have to go break the news to Mum, then I'll probably get an earful from Ben about quitting once I tell him," Nicolette said while looking at the medal in her hands.

"What's say I go with you? As support for both Lucy and yourself?" Harry offered.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt."