“Your Arthur is coming for you,” she said instead.
“He of the Stone Heart.”
Lancelot immediately narrowed his eyes. Was the reminder a threat against his Mate?
“He of the dragon heart,” the Lady added.
“Remember that when the time comes…”
“What—” Lancelot tried to ask.
But she was already fading, her figure becoming transparent, her voice trailing off.
“Remember…”
And then, she was gone.
~ * ~* ~ *~ * ~* ~ *~ * ~
When Arthur, Aella, Dalair and Tristan entered the Celestial Realm, they were braced for an enemy ambush.
But what greeted them was the dulcet voices of fairies, singing a song that made the hairs all over Arthur’s body stand on end.
They sang:
Beneath the sea of silence there dwelled a Dream
Around the elemental earth there echoed a Song
Above the celestial skies there rose a Wish
Across infinite time there stretched a Myth
Within the Myth there grew the Truth
Inside the Truth lay a hidden Heart
The Heart protected a precious Gift
Wrapped within the surest Embrace
Promised forever with the sweetest Kiss
To taste at last the triumph of Love
It was almost like a child’s song. They sang it while they picked flowers from a tall field and wove crowns and garlands to wear in their hair and around their neck. There was innocence and charm in their sweet voices, but the melody was haunting and filled with portent.
As if they were memorializing the past and foretelling the future. A chant. A spell. A strange sort of sorcery.
Arthur’s heart throbbed as if the words were hoofbeats tattooed into his chest by a herd of wild horses.
He would remember these words, he knew. Even if he only heard them once. They meant something.
But what?
The fairies saw them and waved with carefree delight, as if they witnessed strangers appear suddenly out of the air every day.
Tristan smiled wide and waved back a little shyly, making some of the fairies giggle amongst themselves.