Memory Jar

Chapter 1

Arthur sighed. Oh yes. Uther's son. Who hadn't heard of the tales of the one and famous Arthur Pendragon? Arthur had. He had heard from traders and bandits what kind of person that prince was.
How some of the knights referred to him as the most honorable knight of them all.
But Arthur was pretty sure the man must be a coward. And a prat for disappearing right when the kingdom needed him the most.
When they needed a new king. Instead they got a blood thirsty sorcerer and his lap dog. Who was also a sorcerer.
Arthur hated the prince. The more he heard of him, the less he liked him.
And the more he hated the fact that he had chosen his first name as his own for lack of a better one. Because in the beginning, he had thought this Arthur was a great man who would free them all.
Seems like the idiot had just run off.

Well - when you loose your memories, you are ready to take everything that his handed to you, just to make your life a little easier. Including the names of a certain cowardly prince.
You are also ready to take the hand of the next peasant girl and let yourself be lead into a different village. To start a new life as a farmer. And become a gardener at the side.
And stay with her when she married the other man that had come with. Who wanted to be a knight, but wasn't allowed to due to his heritage.

Not that Arthur was mad at Lancelot for marrying Gwen. They were friends. That was all Arthur wanted to be. And maybe it was already more than he deserved.

"If we had the prince here, we would hand him over right away.", Arthur sulked.
The world may not be better off without him. But it wouldn't be off worse, either. And the people certainly would be happier, when their houses were searched less. And their farms be left alone.
Gwen sighed and shook her head. But she didn't try to convince him otherwise.

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Despite everything. Arthur was a very curious person. He had always wondered what the shadow may look like.
He always believed the man would be tall. At least taller than Arthur. Lanky. Probably dressed in a black cloak. His face unreadable. Maybe he would wear a mask, so nobody could see it?
And yellow eyes. All sorcerers had yellow eyes.
The man would be powerful. He would radiate anger and power and Arthur would find it easy to feel intimidated by him. And to hate him of course.
The man would be old. He would be strong and probably also very handy with a sword. Elegant, graceful. Not honorable, no. But definitely ready to fight everything and everyone in his path.
One could almost say Arthur was excited to see him. He also dreaded it. But mostly he was excited.

Gwen, Lance and Arthur lived in the center of the village. In a small hut that had still been abandoned about a year ago. But was now lived in by the three of them.
They had windows from the kitchen to the roads in front. And it was the path the knights and the shadow took, when they passed through the city.

The sun had already risen to the highest point in the sky, when the small troop of foot soldiers moved passed them.
It were about two dozen men. Not much for an army. But a lot for such a small village.

Arthur felt his stomach drop. Of course they wouldn't be able to feed them all. Surely the men knew that! Right? Whom was he kidding.

He saw one of the men point in front of them.
Arthur, alarmed, looked in the pointed direction. He stood up immediately.
That was the small girl from down the street! Katie was her name. Arthur's breath hitched.
The girl stood there, like a warrior in the middle of the road. Her stance wide, a fire in her eyes, as she spoke a few words and a small fire began to flicker in her hands.

'She's gonna die.", was all Arthur thought.
He knew she was a sorceress. She had been born as one. And since magic was not illegal anymore, she had been free to practice it.
Arthur sometimes watched her. She was gifted. Talented too. But not nearly powerful enough to fight a man. No less an entire army.
Without thinking, Arthur ignored Gwen's fearful gasp, as he already sprinted out the door.