Meeting of Two Worlds.

Arthur felt a tickling upon his cheek, and reached up a hand to attempt to swat at it, but connected instead with a warm muzzle that blew a blast of hot air at his face in insult. Green eyes flickering he stared up at his horse. For a moment he scowled, wondering if he’d fallen asleep in the stables. Sure the animal had not come to his room?

A nearby groan got his attention, and his head turned slightly to see his knights stirring beside him. “Lancelot?”

“I am alive,” Lancelot croaked. “Though I believe barely so.”

Bors sat slowly up, rubbing a hand over his bald and aching pate. “What Woad hit me?” he asked in a growl. “I would cut out his heart and shove it down his throat.”

“I need a drink,” Gawain grumbled, looking about.

Arthur pushed to a sitting position and winced. “What happened?”

Galahad helped Meagan to sit up. “How do you feel?”

She blinked at the bright sunlight. Blood had dried upon her face. She could still taste it in her mouth. “I’ve felt better,” she ruefully admitted. Leaning heavily into him she focused upon the others. Sunlight glinted off armor and weapons. Stiffening she gasped. “It’s daylight!”

“Yes, and so?” Dagonet inquired.

“The veil…” She stumbled several time trying to get to her feet. Finally managing the task she hurried to the spot she had crossed the veil with Lancelot. “No! It’s gone!”

The knights began to rise and follow her, some more slowly than others. Arthur felt at the rock of the Wall, the solidity of it taunting him. “Sweet Jesus, no,” he whispered.

“If we are trapped here then the shadows also are trapped here,” Lancelot announced. “They have a whole new world full of souls to feed off of. They will grow more powerful, and we will have failed.”

“I refuse to believe that!” Arthur pounded a fist into the stone of the wall. “There is a way. We must needs find it, and we will.”

“Once and future king,” Meagan whispered, her eyes wide with awe. “This was no accident. This was fate.”

“What do you say?” Gawain frowned.

Meagan nodded, excitement making her breath come in quick gasps. “Legend or King Arthur said that he was the Once and Future King. When the world was in great need he would rise once more, and come to defend her.”

“I am no king,” snarled Arthur, now impatient with these legends she persisted in recounting. “Enough of this foolishness.”

“A king is more than a crown and castle,” she told him. “A true king is a man who leads. One who sets an example, and holds the protection of his people, the good of his people, above his own needs. A man can wear a crown, and be called king, but will not be a true king. Another may have no crown, and lead armies to defend. When people willingly follow and men would willingly die for him then he is a king.”

Waving a dismissing hand Arthur’s lips thinned. “Enough of this.”

“Fine, but it doesn’t change a thing.” She caught at his arm. “Don’t you see? It was real. It’s come true. You came back, when the world needs you, and you’ll fight to defend her.”

“She has a point.”

“Bors…” Arthur softly said in warning.

“Arthur, I know you do not like to hear it, but legend named you king, and prophecy named you a returning hero.” Lancelot shrugged. “Whether it is folly or not does not change the fact that we are needed, and we will fight to defend this world if it means also saving ours.”

“Then let us do so, and forget all the talk about legends and prophecies.” Arthur inhaled deeply, letting his breath out in a long sigh. “Lady, we no longer know this world. You must guide us.”
………………………………

“What is this?” Two very curious knights were in the bathroom, eagerly exploring the medicine cabinet and the shelves. Bors lifted a tube from a basket.

Dagonet shrugged. “Ask her.”

In the kitchen Lancelot was amazed at the refrigerator, and pulled out containers of food to sniff at them. Beside him Gawain arched a brow and shrugged. “I have no idea,” the blonder knight shook his head.

Lancelot pulled out a bottle. “Can you read?”

Gawain shook his head. “What need did I have of written words when they wanted me to be a killer?”

Arthur had taught Lancelot a few words, giving up after a time when the Sarmatian had complained that he had no need to of learning to wield a sword. “Ah, I know this word!” He pointed to a word on the label. “This is wine.”

“Are you certain?” Gawain’s attention was now fully caught.

Unsure how else to open the bottle Lancelot smashed the tip against the counter, breaking the glass. He sniffed at the contents, and beamed. “Quite certain.”

“Well, now we cannot drink it,” Gawain complained as he pointed to the jagged edges where he’d touched a second ago and been cut.

“You whine like a woman,” Lancelot shot, searching the surfaces. “Are there no tankards or noggins?”

Meagan had entered quickly. “What are you doing?”

“We found wine,” Gawain told her.

Meagan rolled her eyes. “You could have unscrewed the top.” At their blank looks she pulled another bottle out and twisted the top, showing them how easily it could be removed. Placing the full bottle on the counter she opened a cupboard and pulled out two tumblers. “Try not to break them.” She did not mind them drinking it. It was cheap wine given to her by a neighbor who had a crush on her. She preferred harder liquor herself, attributing this fact to her heritage.

Gawain let Lancelot pour, and lifted a container out of the refrigerator. “What is this?”

“It’s catsup,” she replied. He stared at her. “It’s a sauce to put on meat.”

“Do you have meat?” Lancelot’s head lifted eagerly.

“I guess you would be hungry,” she mumbled. “I’m sorry. I’m a horrible host.”

Bors entered, holding the tube up. “What is this?”

Meagan spared a quick glance as she shut the refrigerator door and went to the freezer. “Lipstick.”

“There are lips inside?” Intrigued now Bors shook it, twisted it, banged it on the table’s top, but it was not until he turned it upside down that the lid came off, and he peered curiously inside. Dagonet, Lancelot and Gawain neared to also eagerly see this wonder. “There is something red within,” Bors told them, moving the tube enough for them to see one at a time.

“No,” Meagan pulled out stew she had frozen, several containers, and put one into the microwave. “You put it on your lips.”

“Ohhhhhhhhhh,” Bors shrugged, tried to shove a finger in the tiny tube, and scowled. “How?”

In a rush Meagan simply took it, twisted it, and the knights stared at the red creamy stick that came out. Bors took it once more, sniffed at it, and with another shrug put it to his lips. He made a face. “It has a nasty taste.”

Dagonet’s head tilted to one side, and he regarded his friend with mild curiosity. “That shade of red looks rather pretty on you.”

Gawain and Lancelot snickered. “If Vanora could only see you now,” Lancelot added.

Curious now Meagan turned before punching in the time to defrost the stew. A snort escaped her, and she quickly put both hands to her mouth to stifle the laughter about to erupt. She never would have imagined one of the fierce knights of the round table would stand before her; dirty, armored, braw looking, and wearing slut red lipstick. Quite badly too. It was not smoothly smeared, but chunks pressed here and there upon his lips with bare spots in other areas.

Bors arched a brow at her. “What?”

It took her a moment to regain control enough to gasp out, “Lipstick is worn by women. We smooth it over our lips to attract men’s attention.”

“What is wrong with men nowadays that you must paint your lips to get their attention? Do they not realize how tasty they look as they are? Do they not yearn for the sweet taste of a woman’s lips without artifice to entice them?”

Her laughter was gone as she stared at Lancelot. No wonder legend had him as a grand romantic who charmed women and won hearts as easily as battles. “Men today fall far short of the men you are. They have forgotten what it’s like to be gallant, chivalrous, and loyal. But women are not the same today either.”

“I do not like this ‘today’,” Gawain snorted. “It is complicated.”

“Drink,” Lancelot handed him a tumbler of wine. “Perhaps if we are drunk enough there will be appeal to this world.”