I once had a dream.
No, it wasn't a dream at all. It was escapism.
I hoped for something unpleasant that would have made people hate me. My friends, my comrades, my family and the civilians all alike.
'My uncle is an evil person.'
There were fleeting moments when I wished that to be true. Like the poison that killed me, these thoughts kept destroying me.
It was wrong, immoral, sad and many more.
So much so that I forced myself to forget about my own past and serve another king. In a way, I was blessed with the perfect yet the most pitiful one.
At the start, he was close. Not like my uncle, but like a friend. Yet as the years went by, that dragon heart only looked at logic and survival.
"..."
There was no more warmth or understanding. Maybe there wasn't any from the start.
Only someone on the throne.
Someone who I kille-
What?
It was someone whom I betra-
Was someone who I ran f-
Who was my sist-
Ah, this again. My mind is barely holding on to protect my master.
"Dear? Are you okay?"
"..."
I loved Iseult. I wish I could say the one I loved was my wife, also named the same.
Except I would be lying for no good reason.
There is no reason to lie, yes. Britain is gone. My life is gone.
But I don't know which life.
I watch as another hallucination changes from my wife to Iseult, then to Guinevere, then to Gareth, then to my king, then to Morgan, then to Agravain, then to Kay, then to Lancelot, then to Gawain, then to Gaheris, then to Mordred, then to Bedivere, then to Tris-
I blink.
"..."
Yes, that's right.
Maybe I didn't have a dream, but I do now.
I dream of being Tristan.
~~~
Camelot was peaceful.
"Hah, are you gonna cry all day up here?" An armored "knight" with red details approached Tristan, who was on watch.
However, it was noisy.
"If I need to. It's quite sad, but I am the best at long range without destroying a quarter of our city." He fights back since it helps Mordred calm down.
"Oi, I was just told to get rid of-"
"Yes, yes." The archer smiled. "The mighty Mordred defeated another evil giant buildin-"
He stumbled once another shoulder came crashing down on his own. Strength like that of a dragon be damned.
"Bastard, I tried to be nice for once in case…" Mordred's words come to a halt and he leaves.
Even if Tristan's eyes are used to being closed, he has sensed discomfort between his friend and the king for a while now. Being worried about him now all of a sudden… ah well, he will find out eventually.
Except he didn't.
No. He knows what happened because o-
Scenery changed once again and he fell to the ground, feeling poison seeping into his insides. His golden gaze caught his wife and he laughed out of misery. Not his own, but hers.
As he was hoping to see the first Iseult once again.
"A boat with black sails is coming this way." Her gentle voice said.
"..."
He knows this is now a lie, but he says nothing.
What was that title again…
Right, Child Of Sadness. He wishes he lived up to that.
There was no sadness as a child. Regardless of what happened to his family, he was fine.
Even so, he doesn't blame anyone but himself for what has become of him after.
"I apologize, Elaine."
.
.
.
The scene came to a stop like his mind had.
~~~
14th May 2007 - Canada
Devon Island was a big, unpopulated area. It had no structures, no signs of life and people were jokingly calling it Mars.
It sounds like the perfect place for magi, but there is actually no sign of activity. Except right now, there was a car going up some hills easily.
"So who are you again? Boss didn't tell me." A young man of barely drinking age addressed the blonde dude on his right. "My name is Ursus. You don't have to tell m-"
"I will excuse your voice this one time, mongrel." The words were a threat, although there was no venom in the voice.
"Okay…"
The conversation died right there.
The golden boy resumed looking at the "nature" while Ursus was struggling with a map and driving. He didn't dare ask for help.
"Stop."
"Uh?"
The passenger opened the door and stomped his feet on the ground, as if waiting a few seconds was too much. The driver lost control for a moment and almost hit a massive rock.
"Take this." He threw a few coins on top of the vehicle. "They should be worth more than your entire life."
Chains, materialized around him just now, picked up a slate blended in with the environment for him to enter the underground. All of this happened too fast for Ursus to process.
"...Bye?"
In a few weeks from now, he will have more money than some countries.