Juggernaut Child

Gawain and I round up a bunch of Feys and one boy catches my eye; mainly because he is trying to pickpocket me. A chuckle escapes my lips as I wrap my hand around his wrist.

“And just who do you think you are?” I smirk as I slowly get down to his level, eye to eye.

“I’m not afraid of you.” He tells me. “I faced The Weeping Monk head on and survived.”

“So did I.” I tell him. “So you aren’t that special, not special enough that you can get away with pickpocketing me.” He looks at me sheepishly and I toss him a gold coin and some food. “So you faced The Gray Monk and lived, you must feel brave.”

He scoffs. “I wasn’t afraid of him. I could take him on that ugly gray monk.”

“That’s a little harsh don’t you think?” I ask. “My Fey markings are similar, don’t you find me ugly?”

“No.” He quickly replies. “You also haven’t murdered anyone, either. You’re beautiful and kind and nothing like the monk.”

“How can you be so sure?” I question the little boy. “I understand he has done some horrible things to our people. But every sinner has a future while every saint has a misguided past. He’s probably doing these things because he feels like he’s doing God’s work. He doesn’t realize what he’s doing is destroying everything God worked so hard to create.”

“Why are you defending him so?” The little boy questions.

I bite my lower lip in thought, thinking about what I’m about to tell him. “I think The Monk isn’t exactly the villain here. He’s not the boogeyman that us Fey people should fear. He’s a victim of his upbringing. He was brought up thinking us Feys are evil. I think the Red Paladins poisoned his mind against us. They made him believe it was their way or no way at all. He was brought up thinking we were damned, which isn’t the case at all. I think deep down, he’s scared.”

“Why do you think he didn’t kill you the day you faced him?” He questions after a long bout of silence.

“I wish I knew.” I shrug. “Maybe we’re kindred spirits. Maybe we’re two halves of a whole. Maybe, we’re not so different.”

**

“Nimue!” The little boy, whose name is Percival but he goes by Squirrel, yells once we get back to Nemos. He runs to the woman and instantly pulls her into a hug. A smile appears on my lips as I watch them together. It’s cute. My smile, however, only grows when I notice her male companion.

“Arthur!?” I question, earning the attention of not only Arthur but Squirrel and Nimue as well. I rush over to the man and immediately wrap my arms around his neck as his arms encircle my waist. His grip tightens around me, threatening to break my back. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.” I pull away from him, smiling.

“I thought you were supposed to be heading home?” He questions. “This can’t be your home, can it?”

I look around and see the Feys from different backgrounds living in harmony despite everything that we’ve gone through. My smile only grows. “It’s home now. I’m done holding onto ghosts and searching for something that has been lost for many, many years. I’m finally home and I’m at peace with my decision.”

“You do look a lot happier.” He smiles before turning to the woman next to him. “Nimue, this is Kenna. She’s been by my side since we were children.”

“So you’re the infamous Kenna.” She smiles. “It’s nice to put a face to a name. Your reputation precedes you.”

“What reputation?” I question her.

“You’re one of the few Feys that have looked The Weeping Monk in the face and lived to tell the tale.” She replies with a smile. “You’re our people’s Avenging Angel, you’re our weapon against him. You’re his weakness. I wonder why that is.”

“You’re one of many.” I simply reply, accompanied by a laugh. “I’m gonna go gather some supplies from the forest, I’ll be right back.” I quickly say before sprinting away from them.

**

I’ve been out in the woods for no more than an hour when I feel that familiar presence behind me. A smile appears on my lips as I turn around and see Lancelot standing there. “Right on time.” A chuckle escapes my lips. “Where do your monk brothers think you are when you’re out here with me?”

“They think I’m hunting Feys.” He replies. “They’re not wrong but they’re not exactly right either.”

“Do you want to know what people are saying about me?” I ask him. “They think I’m your weakness. They think that’s the reason why I’m being trained to fight to help lead the resistance. They think I’m this sort of Avenging Angel. They think I’m your counterpart; I’m your opposite.”

“And what is it that you think?” He asks.

I open my mouth to reply but quickly close it. Instead, I walk closer to him, this time he doesn’t immediately try and back away. I go to push his hood off his head; this time he doesn’t growl and questions what I’m doing. I look him deep in his brilliant ocean blue eyes, “I think I am your weakness. Just like I know you are mine. I know I’m your counterpart but not in the sense everyone is saying. I believe we’re meant for more than just being on opposite sides of a war.” My fingers caress his cheek; he doesn’t flinch. “I believe there was a divine reason why the two of us survived that night.”

“And what reason is that?” He asks, eyes never leaving mine. I close the space between us and snake my arms around his neck. He looks confused but doesn’t move. “What are you doing Kenna?” This is the first time hearing my name fall from his lips.

“Something stupid I’m sure.” A humorless chuckle escapes my lips. “But to answer your question, we’re meant for something greater than good versus evil. We’re meant for this…” I push down on his neck until our lips crash together...