once and future
two young children walk the shore of a misty lake, skipping rocks and arguing. they stop when they see a boat approaching, old and covered in frogbit and water soldier flowers, as if it’s been submerged through the winter and reborn with the spring. there’s a woman floating beside it, clothed in blues and greens, her blonde hair glowing in the dawn light even underwater. she’s holding on to a slack gauntlet trailing into the water, like the occupant had used the last of their strength to reach out to her before–
it pulls ashore. the twins inch closer, fascinated. inside is a man in resplendent armor, a golden crown upon his brow and a glowing blue sword upon his chest. the lady of the lake draws his hand underwater and kisses it, unable to follow him out. if she is crying, no one can tell; her tears would only vanish into the lake’s clear waters. in the blink of an eye, she dissolves into the lake that is her only domain, now.
“is he dead? should we set his boat on fire?” the girl hisses.
“is it grave robbing if we borrow his sword?” the boy hisses back.
“after a fashion, yes,” the man in the boat says, and the twins scream shrilly and scramble back, each trying to shove the other behind them.
the man–the king?–in the boat laughs, eyes crinkling. his careworn face looks, for a second, years younger. he pulls his hand from the water and kisses it, lips lingering where the lady’s did for a long moment. then he rises, balance never faltering, and steps on dry land for the first time in a decade.
“who are you?” the girl demands. “you’re not the king, are you? the king is evil, everyone knows that.”
“i was king once,” the man says, “but never again, no matter what the legends say.”
“are you a knight?” the boy asks eagerly. “the king killed all the old knights. everyone says he killed the old king and queen, too.”
“i was a knight as well, but i failed,” the man says.
“what are you, if you’re not a king and you’re not a knight?” the girl demands.
he smiles again. he hands the glowing blue sword to the wide-eyed boy and sets the golden crown upon the girl’s brow.
“i am a teacher,” he says, “as i once was, and will be again.”