False Crowns

Agatha knew a very old fairytale. One from her studies at the school. It terrified her what she was about to do even if it was to save everyone.

The Green Forest looked exactly like the blue forest but well purely in shades of green. She stepped carefully over the line between endless woods and the green forest. Her thoughts filled with a buzzing.

GO GO GO GO GO

GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT

LEAVE LEAVE LEAVE LEAVE

The words pounded inside her mind and rattled her thoughts so much that Agatha nearly turned around and did as it commanded until a single word from the silence.

stay

Agatha knew what it really was. A familiar voice from long before. It was a soul wish. Her talent would always remain even if she never expected it to return after so long of disuse. She steeled her nerves and began forward. To block out the barge of shouting, Agatha recited the fairytale to herself.

"It is said, if you go into the green forest there is a knight who will grant any favour you ask. Beware for the forest will force you out in every way. Fear to make you go, wishes to drag you away, lies that'll lead you astray. The knight who's clad in green from head to heel will worm their way into your mind and heart to make you stay away. For every wish comes with a price."

The shouts transformed as she went deeper, following an overgrown trail of ferns and foliage.

Save Sophie, Free Tedros, Kill The Snake. Follow my voice and I will give you the way to win.

It came from behind her, back from where she had come. Briefly she worried if she was going the wrong way but the wish pulled her closer.

A lie. It's a lie.

"They said the knight had locked themself away, just like The Lady Of The Lake. Instead of a freezing wasteland, the knight built themself a forest of emeralds, shamrocks, and ferns. Greens of a thousand shades for miles. Yet all who emerged would instantly leave."

Wish for away home. Wish the snake off the throne.

"And those who did go beyond the entry. Sometimes never left."

False. Empty.

"But even fewer would find the knight in the woods. Because when they found themselves seeking a wish from the knight-"

Water filled her senses. Immediately Agatha began the kick upwards, try to reach for the surface, struggling to breath. She was going to die and so would everybody she loved.

Hands pulled her up, warm hands. She stared into emerald green eyes. A smile on her face as she blinked away water and grained her breathing "Sophie-"

The person who came to view was, in fact, not Sophie. It wasn't a pair of eyes but a single large green one, locks of long black hair and a deep frown "The Forest Is Meant To Keep Trespassers Out." The stranger hissed at her.

Agatha nearly jerked away but one hand was right around her arm as the stranger looked her own "Though I suppose that stupid story you insisted on shouting through here did you some good, if I hadn't followrd you then you would be dead." The stranger mused as they reached towards the pond, dropping her arm and pulling a bag out of the algae green waters. Agatha gaped as she took in the full appearance of her aggressive rescuer. They were feminine from one angle then masculine from another. They were dressed in dark green armor with an emerald green sword at their hip. It jolted her memory "You're the knight! The-"

"The one from the story? Was it the armor? Maybe the sword? Or- and this is a guess- is the fact that besides you, I'm the only person who's within the green forest boundaries!" The knight snapped. They took out a familiar crystal ball from the bag and stared it over "Oh." Was the only noise the knight made.

Agatha couldn't think of anything to say until the words crashed into her mind and tumbled off her tongue  "What do you mean 'Oh'?"

The knight looked over the crystal ball from every possible angle, the shift between boy and girl still messing with Agatha's head. They placed it back into the bag "Are you related to Clarissa Dovey?" They asked.

Agatha shook her head "No but I was a student of her's," she replied.

The single eye looked over Agatha briefly "I suppose," they stood to their feet, hoisting the bag in one arm like it weighed nothing, their free hand was held out towards her. Agatha took it and was pulled to her feet rather quickly. The knight began walking in a general direction and held tightly to Agatha's hand "Just so you don't get lost and fall in another pond."

She felt herself blush horribly red "I didn't intend to fall into the pond, I was trying to find you because-"

"You want a favor."

They only ever want favors.

"You know, for somebody who acts all tough and rough, you're very lonely on the inside," Agatha remarked.

The knight stopped and looked at her "What are you talking about?" They countered.

Now she had an upper hand "You're like The Lady, everybody comes to you for things and over the years you built a defense to keep everybody out only to realize that by keeping them out, you've locked yourself in," She said, having picked through the layers of the story long ago.

The Green Knight frown deepened "Like as if you know anything about me. You're the one who came to my forest, looking for me, to get whatever your little heart wanted. So what is it this time, princess? True Love? Peace? Freedom?"

They took a step closer.

'To get what you want, the knight will test you. They will push at everything to break you down. Do not waver or falter under their gaze or it will destroy you.'

The green eye glowed as the forest darkened. Agatha stood her ground, looking in as her reflection stared out. Nothibg prepared her for the twisting feeling as the magic ravaged her very soul. It twisted and twined, ripped and ruined, warped and waned. Just as Agatha thought she was going to lose. The glow faded, the knight backed down.

"That's..." They paused for a moment looking for words. The gaze went blank "I have been here for a long time, I know as much as The Lady but that is something I wasn't expecting to ever happen," they stood a bit taller "I will grant you one favour, anything you ask will be done within my ability."

"Anything?" Agatha asked. Anything meant out of the thousand of things she needed, only one could be done.

"Anything."

She took a breath. She needed to think. Anything. A thousand different paths, a hundred different choices. One wrong favour meant certain doom for the woods. She needed the right one. Her soul burned with only one answer.

"Help me save Camelot and the woods."

The knight placed the crystal ball bag down. They drew the Emerald sword at their hip and went to a knee with the blade planted into the ground between them and her "I, Flet Le Fae, bind myself to the favour that was requested of by Queen Agatha Of Camelot."

The forest glowed green and a wind twirled around them.

"I shall complete the task given to me by any means called for."

The wind grew higher and tighter around them, leaves being picked up and tossed in the swell.

"The Favour Is Sealed. Nothing Can Undo It. Be A King, A Queen, A Wizard, Or A Witch."

The noise deafened, a flashback to the wish fish when she discovered her talent. The knight stood and held their sword to Agatha's throat "Any Attempt To Breach This Bind Will Result In Your Death By My Blade."

Death? The story never mentioned death. Flet smiled at her. Thunder exploded around them as the wind tore apart. And before she knew what was happening, Agatha felt herself weaken and fell. The last thing she saw was a single green eye, alight with flame. Fear seized her body.

What had she unleashed?