Memory Jar

Chapter 1

"What is it?", Arthur asked. But looked at Lancelot, who was also the one to answer.
"Knights of Camelot are on their way through the village.", he explained.
Arthur frowned disgusted.
"Oh fuck.", he said, burying his face in his hands.

Frankly speaking, Arthur wasn't exactly fond of the Camelot knights. Or knights in general. They usually marched through towns and expected special treatment. They expected to be cheered on - to be welcomed in the various houses.
They never knew how much havoc their travels costed the people.
The few rations they had were given to the soldiers, just like their money and the few valuable items they possessed. 'Taxes.' They called it. Just a fancy word for stealing, Arthur thought.

It was horrible. They were like bandits but with better claim to their names.

Arthur thought deep down that he understood their desire to be honorable. To fight for glory. For their people. That - him and Lancelot spoke about often. And they mostly had the same opinion. Who needed the knights when Camelot's shadow fought the wars.

"They say, the shadow is with them."

The shadow. Camelot's shadow. Other's knew him by the name of Emrys. The most powerful warlock to ever walk the earth.
He was dangerous. He followed the kings every wish without a second thought. Rumor says he just needed to stare at you intently before you fall. Your body limp, your life gone before you even hit the ground.

The king was on a rampage. Fighting wars with as many kingdoms as possible. The Shadow always his first knight. Ready to kill every army, every man who stood in his way.
People said he had no soul. They said his magic had corrupted him and made him a puppet of the king.

And Arthur had hoped they would be happy as soon as news came out king Uther had died.
But the executions hadn't stopped.
They weren't reserved for sorcerers anymore. But for everyone. Everyone who defied the new king.
In some ways it was worse than before. Because no, nobody was safe anymore.

"So I assume, we won't be on the fields today.", Arthur asked. Almost disappointed.
He liked the mundane work on the fields. With the plants.
Where he could watch everyone help their families and friends to do the work they needed to do to survive.

"No. We all need to barricade our homes.", Gwen nodded.
So - standard procedure for the visit from the shadow it was. What a great day. Whom was he kidding. His day was already ruined.

Arthur still thought it was stupid. The shadow was not an actual shadow. He wouldn't just slip through the cracks in the walls and invade your dreams. He was just a man.
A sorcerer yes. And one of the few who survived the purge and become powerful with rage and power. And okay, maybe he was the most powerful warlock to ever walk the earth. But that didn't change the fact that he was human.

Arthur shook his head. How much must that sorcerer have lost to Uther Pendragon, that he ended up murdering him?

Oh yes. That was the one fact Arthur knew for certain. He didn't know why. But that was the one fact he couldn't play off as imagination. Or a rumor that went awry through the weeks they were passed on.
No. Arthur knew it. He felt it in his heart that this sorcerer had killed the former king.
The worst part was - he didn't know what he was supposed to think of that.
It was like his mind was blank for that opinion.

"Why here? I thought they were still plotting against Mercia?"
Mercia was a neighboring kingdom to Camelot. But it was on the other side of the map. Invading Mercia from here was bound to be impossible. Or simply a waste of time.

"They are still searching for Uther's son.", Gwen explained weakly. "I believe the king feels threatened by his very existence. He wants him gone for good."