Boy? Girl

A boy walked across a grassy field, surrounded by a herd of fine horses.

He looked like a beautiful young man, but was actually a golden-haired girl.

Her name was Artoria Pendragon. Although she was a girl, she had been raised by the standards expected of a boy, in both her words and actions and her daily life.

"Lia!" a man's voice called from afar.

"Brother Kay," Artoria murmured.

A tall, handsome young man came running over from the horizon.

His name was Kay. He was Artoria's foster brother and Sir Ector's eldest son.

"What is it, Brother Kay?" Artoria asked politely.

"Uncle Anno is here. Father's calling us back," Kay said excitedly.

"Mr. Anno is here? I understand." She paused, then broke into a joyful smile. She whistled to the herd and walked home alongside her foster brother.

Artoria was fourteen now. Over the years, she had lived with her foster father and brother. They farmed and tended the horses, while Sir Ector taught her and Kay swordsmanship, spearmanship, and horsemanship. Merlin, the court mage, also taught her in her dreams what she would need to know as a future king.

She knew what her fate would be. For the sake of this country, she would accept it.

Anno came to visit Artoria every so often, bringing the two children playmates and delicious, rare foods.

Although he was a knight, he had an unexpectedly great talent for cooking.

But this time, Anno had brought more than food and playmates.

Clatter.

The cup slipped from his hand and smashed on the floor, tea spilling across it.

"Sir Anno, is... is what you said true?" Sir Ector, now looking rather old, trembled all over.

"Yes. It's true." Anno's voice was heavy with grief.

Anno was now thirty-four. His features had grown more rugged, and his black hair remained the same length as before, but the calluses covering his hands showed that his life had been anything but peaceful over the years.

He had come with terrible news.

King Uther had been gravely wounded in the Battle of Vortigern fourteen years ago. Even with Merlin forcibly keeping him alive, he had finally reached his limit.

King Uther was at death's door.

As King Uther's friend and subject, Anno had brought Lancelot with him to Sir Ector's home, grief weighing heavily on him.

"This... this..." Sir Ector sat in his chair, still unable to believe it.

"Perhaps the king... deserves his rest," Anno said helplessly.

"Ah..." Ector paused, about to flare up, but then suddenly realized something. In the end, all he could do was sigh.

King Uther truly deserved a chance to rest.

"Father, we're back!" Kay's voice carried from a distance.

Anno shook his head and rose from his chair. "It's too soon to grieve. The king is still alive. Let's... go see the children first."

Sir Ector nodded and wiped his eyes. "You're right."

They left the room and saw three youths walking toward them, though one of them was a girl.

"Kay's grown up, too," Anno said with a sigh.

Kay was several years older than Lancelot and Artoria, who were about the same age, and he was also the tallest.

"I plan to have him join the knightly order under your command in the next couple of years, so he can fight for Britain," Sir Ector said, sounding rather moved.