Fourteen Years

"This child named Lancelot is human. Sooner or later, he'll have to enter human society, just as Sir Anno did," Merlin explained. "And I'm a little worried about Sir Anno's state of mind, too. If he had a child by his side... No, never mind."

The Lady of the Lake was reluctant to let Lancelot go. She understood Merlin's reasoning. She was a fairy by nature, and a Great Mother at that; fairies lived far longer than humans. One day, as his foster mother, she would have to see Lancelot, old and frail, through to the end...

"Could Lancelot stay with me for another two years?" the Fairy asked sadly.

Merlin chuckled. "Anno hasn't agreed yet. I'll go talk to him." With that, he headed toward Anno, who was holding Lancelot.

Merlin explained his suggestion to Anno.

Anno handed the child back to the Lady of the Lake, his brows furrowing again.

Anno thought it over. He neither agreed outright nor refused, only saying, "I'll think about it."

But it was clear he was tempted.

Anno loved children dearly—not in the way a priest did.

Merlin and Anno stayed by the Holy Lake for a few more days, to avoid drawing attention.

Anno's hesitation didn't last long. The very next afternoon, he agreed to Merlin's suggestion. However, Lancelot would still stay with the Lady of the Lake for a few years. For one thing, the Lady of the Lake was very fond of him; for another, all three of them—including Anno himself—doubted whether they could properly care for such a small child.

So they planned to send Lancelot to Anno when he turned six, where he would learn what it meant to be a knight.

Merlin and Anno sat by the Holy Lake, bored, watching the Fairy and Lancelot from a distance.

"Honestly, Sir Anno, you're not that young anymore, are you? How old are you?"

Anno glanced at Merlin. "Exactly twenty."

"Have you ever thought about finding a wife? The noblewomen in Camelot are certainly eager to get their hands on you." Merlin teased him, half-seriously.

Anno's eye twitched, and he hurriedly waved his hands. "No, no. Marriage can wait. Besides, I'll be raising Lancelot."

As for the noblewomen of Camelot, or the daughters of the great nobles, Anno didn't even know what to say about them.

They were far too forward, and their private lives were a mess. As a knight who was upright to the core and a shining symbol of righteousness, Anno's views in that regard were completely at odds with theirs.

Whenever they happened to see Anno, they clung to him like burrs, even openly flirting with him.

As a knight, Anno couldn't lay a hand on a lady or scold her, so all he could do was avoid them. He had never considered actually getting involved with any of them, either.

Anno didn't want to accidentally offend anyone important, so up to that point, he had never had a female friend he was particularly close to.

At last, the two, having stayed long enough, bid farewell to the Lady of the Lake and the infant Lancelot, mounted their horses, and set off for Camelot.

After returning to Camelot, their lives fell back into their usual routine. Anno led troops into battle, while Merlin spent each day treating King Uther's illness and, in between, dreaming so he could check on Artoria.

Time flew by just like that.

The economy within Britain finally stabilized, and Anno brought Lancelot to live with him.

Before they knew it, fourteen years had passed.