The heat of the sun hit her in the back, as she stood with everyone in line backs straight trying to show the best of themselves to the new visitors. Morgana and Emrys right behind Arthur, making hard to believe the previous hustle that had surrounded the castle that kept everyone in an anxious hurry, even Adelina had yelled a bunch of profanities at Arthur when he dared to walk into the kitchen to check how everything was going.

Morgana had a dress made especially for the occasion and the party that would follow, sending encouraging glances at Arthur every time he looked behind himself, as he played with the hold of his sword, doing his best to appease his nerves. She mumbled a few words, her eyes shining blue before his grip on the sword softened, and he stood as regal and proud as he did in front of his knights, she only turned to see Emrys shaking his head at her.

Slowly, the sounds of horses became louder. As they approached, she could see the golden details of the carefully crafted saddles shining under the sunlight, bringing all attention to them as if it wasn't already, leading the group was Lancelot, Arthur's best friend and most trusted knight. A glint of red in the middle of the group caught Morgana's eye.

"They are not a particularly rich kingdom" Emrys commented leaning to her side. All signs of the previous blunder suddenly vanished "But whenever they visit other kingdoms, they like to keep the appearances that they are"

"Even when a marriage alliance is secured?" Morgana questioned, her head tilted, looking at the approaching group.

"Especially then" Emrys furrowed his eyes "Arthur is still on time to forfeit the union, and at the end, he is already a king, he has the final word in this"

When the horses stopped in front of them, the group that seemed to go surrounding something split in two, riding the horse in between the knights safely kept as if she was the most valuable treasure was a girl. She was around Arthur's age, red hair that moved with the wind in waves, eyes green, a golden diadem in her hair and golden decorations on her soft pink dress. Arthur stared in awe as she took the hand Lancelot offered to help her get down from the horse.

"She is very beautiful" Morgana acknowledged, noticing the way Lancelot's eyes did not leave her as she walked towards Arthur giving a courteous bow. "Now there is no way Arthur will say no to the union"

She basked on the idea that she was right, noticing how Arthur blushed when talking to her, his hand returning to the sword's grip, and how his mouth didn't stop moving, going beyond the accustomed pleasantries Emrys had taught him.

"There are many more beautiful" Emrys shrugged. Morgana turned to him, taking advantage of the fact that every bit of attention was focused on Arthur and his knights, she smiled.

"Oh, is that so? Like, who, for example?" Her heart skipped a beat when his green eyes avoided hers and instead focused on the sleeves of the formal shirt he was forced to wear, all the while his cheeks turned pink.

"That's not important" He tried to dismiss, clearing his throat mid-sentence, but it was, it was very important. "I'm afraid of what this union might bring"

"I'll admit, I'm getting a weird feeling from her" She noted acknowledging one of the men who made part of Guinevere's escort who leaned and bowed to her taking her hand carefully before moving on, going completely past Emrys "But they look so in love, and happy about the union"

"And this is my sister Morgana, and the Merlin, Emrys" Arthur turned stopping any further attempt of conversation from Emrys. Morgana plastered a smile on her face looking at Guinevere with more detail, noticing how tense her shoulders were "This is her royal highness, Guinevere Greidawl" Both Emrys and Morgana bowed to her, and she imitated their action her pose filled with grace, the tension in her shoulders suddenly gone.

"It's an honor to meet you" She spoke.

"The honor is all mine, we hope you feel welcomed in Cammelot and that it can be your home" Morgana smiled, joining both her hands in front of herself.

"We are delighted to have you here" Emrys forced a smile that didn't reach his eyes and it looked far more similar to a thin line in his mouth. Guinevere smiled at him, while Arthur patted his shoulder and touched Morgana's wrist, walking past them trying to reach the rest of the people.

"Why so tense?" Morgana questioned as soon as Arthur and Guinevere turned their back on them.

"I just think, this world might have been a better place, and history might have had the chance of a happier ending, had someone succeeded on many or her family's murder attempts"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The bell signaling their lunchtime break resonated in the ears of the students, who silently began packing their books on their bags. Valerie stood up quick, first going to Gabriel's seat and stammer out that Iman was going to join them during lunch, then going to the new girl's seat, encouraging to hurry up, otherwise they were going to spend more time in line that they would have to eat.

Valerie wasn't surprised on how easily Iman seemed to be getting used to the school, or how well she and Gabriel seemed to be getting along. After her first attempts to find a conversation topic everyone could partake into, it was easy to see how by mentioning Doctor Who, transitioning from one topic from another was less difficult while they showed Iman the school grounds. They were walking in a single line, with Iman and Valerie standing in between Gabriel and Audrey.

"So, a soccer player" Iman asked Gabriel when the conversation of sports came up, he smiled, Valerie found herself smiling as well, heat raising to her cheeks.

"Yes" He said, standing straight, Valerie heard Audrey scoff "Current captain of the school's team"

"Look at you, the pride and joy of the class" Iman joked, Gabriel nodded the smile and prideful expression unfaltering.

"You bet your ass I am"

"And modest too" Iman lifted an eyebrow.

"Of course, of course, I'm the clear epito...."

"So, this is the art classroom" Audrey interrupted, Valerie noticed the stiffness in her shoulders and the slight twist of her mouth, as she pointed at the closed door. Iman tilted forward, staring at the closed door with the number 145 engraved on the wall besides the door.

"Do you guys have art classes?"

"No" Valerie admitted leaning over to see the door before turning her eyes to Iman, "We did in years seven and nine, but after that it's more of a workshop than an actual requirement. No one really took it seriously" She shrugged.

"Jane spends most of her time there. You might have seen her sketching in class" Audrey continued right after Valerie, Gabriel and Valerie nodded.

"Everyone fights for being in Jane's team in History projects" Gabriel added. "That was why the teacher began to organize the teams herself, and even then, there was always a lot of bribery going around between the students to change teams or get Jane to abandon the team she was paired with. It was like some sort of bloody black market, except instead of selling organs or kidnapping people they traded flowers on cardboard" Iman giggled.

"She might not be the smartest in the class, but she does the prettiest projects, and the teacher really values that. It's an easy way to get extra points" Valerie shrugged, pointing at her side "That's the gym, and this... this is the cafeteria"

"Why are they close to each other?" Iman's eyebrows were furrowed.

"This used to be a giant house, and they decided to use the biggest rooms as the gym and cafeteria, which were coincidentally next to each other" Valerie explained.

"Legend says the owners threw these big ass parties. So the banquet hall was right next to the ballroom so everyone could eat and then dance all night long, apparently there was a door that connected these two but was covered up" Audrey added, Gabriel opened the door of the cafeteria allowing the girls to walk inside.

"We've been trying to find it every year, but never have" Gabriel commented, letting the door close and walking inside reaching to them.

"You and...?" Iman questioned raising an eyebrow, giving the side eye to Valerie and Audrey.

"Sometimes Michael and Daniel, other times the boy from the football team. Really whoever wants to join" Gabriel said, looking around.

The noise at the cafeteria was the usual, some students liked to eat their lunch outside, under the rare clear sunlight or whenever it wasn't raining or hadn't rained before in the day. Still, the cafeteria was usually filled, and that day wasn't the exception, with voices trying to talk over each other loud enough to be able to be heard by their friends.

"We have to get in line quickly if we want to get anything good" Valerie informed, Iman looked around, taking in the entirety of the ocean of familiar faces, feeling some of them staring at her.

"I'll see if I can get us a good table" Gabriel piped in. Valerie and Audrey nodded.

"The usual?" Valerie questioned, Gabriel nodded before turning his back on them looking for a place for the four of them to sit.

"See you in a while" He said. Valerie grabbed Iman by the arm, letting go of her when she saw her shocked reaction.

"Sorry" Valerie said, raising her arms "Should have asked first"

"No, no. It's okay, I'm just not used to it" Iman dismissed with a smile. Valerie smiled, more relaxed.

On their way to the line the walked past a table, Valerie recognized the people sitting there with ease. Mary, who was sitting at the table, waved her hand at them, nudging one of the boys on the shoulder. Jonathan turned and raised his hand at them, his eyes soft watching Valerie and Audrey return the gesture before turning to his friends, now with hands over the table and shoulders leaning forward.

"Who is that?" Iman questioned curious, looking at the back of Jonathan's dark hair.

"That's Jonathan" Valerie answered, standing in the line next to her raising in her tip of her toes to see what they were selling. "He's a bit rough around the edges, but I'm sure you'll like him once you meet him"

"Is he your boyfriend?" Iman tilted her head confused, and Audrey laughed, putting one hand over her mouth in an attempt to play it off while she took out her cellphone, Valerie glared at her for a second, feeling a slight heat climb up her cheeks, and smiled, shrugging it off.

"Oh, no" She denied, her eyebrows slightly furrowed "Not at all. We've been friends forever, that's all" She dismissed moving as the line did.

"Right, Sorry" Iman tried, Audrey put an empathetic hand on her shoulder, a blush now in her cheeks as she put her cellphone down, Valerie raised an eyebrow, watching her mutter a soft "I'll tell you later"

"Don't worry about it. You are not the first to make that mistake" Audrey told Iman.

"Oh?" Iman raised an eyebrow, an amused smile on her face.

"Unfortunately, it's fairly common" Valerie sighed, standing at the front of the line, paying Miss Johnson for what she was going to eat, alongside Gabriel's food. "Fucking people, I just don't see why a boy and a girl can't be just friends" Miss Johnson glared at her.

Audrey paid her own food, "Look, no one is saying you can't just be his friend, all I'm saying if that if you threaten a boy who says they will beat him up because someone got a little too pissed off they lost a football game people are going to talk. Let them fucking talk, you've never cared about any asshole's opinion"

"What did you just say?" Iman titled her head. Valerie found Gabriel sitting on one side of the room. She indicated the other two to follow her.

"I used to get into a lot of fight when I was younger, and once this boy was flirting with me, he was cute, I'm not going to lie about that. This was right after a soccer game, and I was there to go with Jonathan because we were going to hang out later, Audrey was there too and she was with me. Anyways, this boy I don't know why this bloody dick thought it would be a good idea to hit on me by saying, 'oh yeah we're gonna beat up the goalie of the other team'. So I just did what any person would do" Valerie shrugged sitting in the chair ahead of Gabriel, handing him the food she had gotten for him "I punched him in the gut and I told him that if any of them did anything I would personally take care of finding them and beating them up, then he left" Iman sat right besides Valerie.

"To be realistic" Audrey commented, smiling sitting next to Gabriel. "Valerie was like one-fifty-five at the time. I think he wasn't as much as terrified of her. I think it was more the fact that this little twelve-year-old girl had swung her fist at his face was ready to try and beat the shit out of a boy who was clearly taller than her"

"You say try, as if Valerie wouldn't have fucking knocked the lights out of him" Gabriel laughed, taking a bite out of a sandwich, he handed Valerie the money of the sandwich he had bought, ignoring when she tried to dismiss it.

"I know she would have. But he didn't know that" Audrey shrugged beginning to eat her food, offering some of it.

"Does that mean I have to fight you to be the boss of this place?" Iman leaned over, lips pursued and eyes furrowed. Giving Valerie her best impersonation of a deadly glare.

"You can try, I guess" Valerie said swallowing the food in her mouth, smiling, standing proud and looking at her from over her shoulder. Iman laughed.

"Iman, today we are hanging out after school" Gabriel began, Audrey was finishing her food. "Audrey, Valerie, the lanky stick, and me, would you like to come?"

"The lanky stick?"

"He means Jonathan" Audrey rolled her eyes before smiling recoiling squirming slightly to the side. "Are you coming?"

"I would have to call my mom first, but if she says yes, I suppose that's fine, what are you guys planning?"

"We were going out to eat something then to Jonathan's house" Valerie explained, looking at Audrey, who pointed at her phone in the table. Valerie nodded, pulling out her phone.

"Will he be okay with me going to his house without knowing me?"

"He won't mind" Gabriel dismissed, Audrey rolled her eyes and Valerie sighed. Turning her phone off before she could see the message Audrey had sent her.

"He'll probably say a shit-ton of curse words at Gabriel" Valerie shrugged "He won't say anything to you, though"

"Because he doesn't know me?"

"Nope" Audrey said, hitting Gabriel in the arm who just laughed. Valerie smiled.

"He won't say anything to you, because he will roll by the idea that there is not a single sane person in the world who will invite themselves to someone else's house, but overall he won't really mind" Valerie explained taking a sip from her bottle of water. "And when we do this kind of thing we usually do it in my house, but now I have a visitor who can be meddlesome, so meetings at my house are kind of postponed for the time being"

"No offence, Valerie, but you are making it sound like you have a plague of rats" Iman raised her hands, Valerie sighed.

"It's worse, at least you can get rid of rats" Valerie stood up, picking her tray. The rest followed after her, soon returning for the remaining classes of the day.

-.-.-.-.-

There were gray clouds in the sky by the time school was over. Valerie was talking with Iman as soon as they were out of school, glad the girl's mother had given her permission, apparently the woman had been delighted the girl was already assimilated into a friend group. They, alongside Audrey and Gabriel were chatting on the school's door, waiting for Jonathan to catch up with them, like he had texted Valerie he would.

"Here comes the man, the myth, the legend" Gabriel mocked when he saw Jonathan talking with one of his classmates, who soon parted. Iman looked at him an amused smile on her face with a line forming between her eyebrows.

"Oh, you don't know" Gabriel nodded, raising an eyebrow, a teasing smile on his face while he glanced at the upcoming Jonathan, ignoring the way Audrey and Valerie were looking at him "Our boy, Jonathan here is known for two things in the school, the first one, is that is nearly impossible for a ball to get in the goal when he is in it, and because so far no one has been able to outdrink him"

"That is true" Audrey commented, "I have heard those rumors too, and I have witnessed many football games. But Valerie must be the one with firsthand information"

"Firsthand information on what?" Jonathan reached to them, passing one hand over his hair, preventing Valerie from making any further addition to the topic. He passed one hand over Valerie's shoulder and held her tight, before letting go, she scrunched her nose at him and he ruffled her hair.

"And the mysterious last year boy joins us" Iman commented when he got to them, he furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head. Valerie took a step apart, and passed one hand from Jonathan to Iman.

"Jonathan, this is Iman" Valerie introduced. Jonathan simply nodded at her.

"Pleasure" He said.

"Oh, a talker" Iman smiled extending her hand watching him take it.

"What can I say, hearing my voice is a privilege" Jonathan shrugged, his face conjuring a half smile.

"I can see that." Iman smiled. "Will you satisfy my curiosity with two questions?"

Audrey was the first one to entrail her way out of the school, followed closely by Gabriel and Valerie, Jonathan and Iman walking right behind them. Even then, Valerie glanced behind herself, to make sure they were following them closely, while she payed close attention to how Gabriel was talking about an upcoming football game he was going to see on the TV.

"Depends" Jonathan said raising an eyebrow "What are your two questions?"

"Why are you hanging out with people a year below you?"

Valerie's ears perked up, and she turned behind, noticing the confusion in Jonathan's face.

"Because they are my friends, isn't that why people hang out with each other?" He shrugged, Valerie smiled, turning her eyes forward once again, trying to join Audrey and Gabriel's conversation.

"True, alright, next question old boy. Are the rumors surrounding you true?"

"Yes, I do indeed hate everyone. Fucking people"

"Not those rumors. Those that say that you are indestructible"

"I am not indestructible. I'm filled with weaknesses. A fucking waste I could have been amazing" Jonathan sighed, his voice filled with drama. Iman laughed.

Valerie found herself smiling, laughing at the interaction even if she was doing her best to take part in the conversation Gabriel and Audrey were having that had now switched to why ballet was more physically demanding than football. So far Audrey's stronger counterpoint had been "Fucking leap, Gabriel. I want to see you take a leap"

"Jon! Iman! Want to come to go to the movies this Friday? Audrey and Valerie already agreed" Gabriel turned to the group behind them, ignoring the scowl on Audrey's face when he returned to the topic they had before their debate. Valerie leaned on her ear, to let her know she had essentially won.

"Easy there" Iman laughed. "If I go out today, I'll need a great deal of convincing for my mother to allow me to go out twice in the same week"

"This Friday? I can't" Jonathan's mouth twisted "My class wants to celebrate GSCEs are finally over and Mary will throw a party in her house" Valerie nodded, he had already told her about it, but she hadn't had the heart to stop Gabriel from asking.

"Can we go?" Gabriel asked with wide hopeful eyes.

"Ha ha. No"

"You'd say yes if Valerie asked" He pouted, and watched how Jonathan's cheeks turned pink, while he cleared his throat and a line formed in between his eyebrows.

"Look, little shit, first of all, Ree wouldn't ask me and as far as I'm concerned none of you have taken your GSCE's, nor know where Mary lives, nor have been invited by Mary, the actual fucking owner of the house". Gabriel raised his hands in a mocked surrender, and Iman shook her head.

As they reached the park Jonathan, Audrey and Valerie passed every day to and from school, Iman felt a chill run down her spine, stopping and looking around, adjusting her schoolbag over her shoudler. Valerie stopped to wait for her, and as she watched her questioning gaze a chill ran down Valerie's spine, making her tense, it was the first time she realized the sound around them had died down and only their voices had filled the street.

"Guys" Iman tried, Valerie rushed to her side, standing close to her. Jonathan then turned to them, noticing Valerie's expression.

"Oi!" Valerie screamed, and three pairs of eyes turned to her.

"Something's wrong" Valerie spoke, watching how the rest stopped walking, turning to her, her eyes went from Jonathan's to Iman's. She saw how their expressions shifted when the realization downed on them.

"What's going on?" Iman questioned, looking around at the deafening silence.

A tree began to creak as it twisted, without the resonance of the moving cars or the shoes against the pavement, the sound felt like needles inside the brunette's ears, whose eyes searched for Jonathan's. His mouth was a thin line, but he stood by her side. His entire attention on the moving tree.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me" Valerie exhaled, Gabriel and Audrey looked around, moving closer to the group, Gabriel had his arms extended covering the trio of girls while Jonathan's hands were in fists and his eyes shut as he was murmuring something Valerie wasn't fully able to understand.

"Something's coming" Jonathan murmured, opening his eyes Valerie reached over to Iman, who was frozen in place pulling her close, squeezing her wrist tight, feeling her tremble.

A tree fell to the ground, and the crunching of the branches became louder, Valerie took off her bracelet, Iman saw in awe how it morphed into a sword, that the girl held tightly with both her hands.

"Will anyone answer my question?" Iman said blinking, her eyes looking at the group of faces after the initial stupor of watching the sword had passed. Valerie turned to her trying to give her an assuring smile.

"It's... a long story" Valerie tried. The tree was now standing in front of them, shaped in the form of a two meters tall knight. The armor had green details, and the helmet stopped them from giving any face

"This one is..."

"Huge" Audrey finished Gabriel's sentence, Valerie stepped forward, she took a deep breath, fixing her stance until she was in sixte fencing position.

"Guys, at my signal, you run" She indicated, "Take Iman as far as you can"

"What signal?" Audrey questioned, eyebrows furrowed taking a book out of her schoolbag, Valerie screamed as loud as she could, running towards the knight with her sword in hand.

A.N.

Thank you everyone who takes the time to pass through here and read this story! Please, if there is anything you liked about it, any favorite parts, consider leaving a vote or a comment, it would make my day. Thank you so much and have a lovely day!