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Sniffling, Gwen stared up at the ceiling in hopes of making gravity work to her benefit. “Don’t make me cry, man.”
“Forgive me.” He stood, his expression somehow even more grim than before. “Come. The skiff awaits.”
Ah. It was a boat. Great. She nodded and followed him from the room. He led her down a flight of stairs that seemed to go on forever. She realized it was taking her through the cliffside to the rocky shore below the keep. When they finally emerged from the darkness, she had to blink and squint in the sunlight.
Pulled onto the rocks was a boat with an ornately carved wooden dragon’s head as a mast. It wasn’t very big, but then again, it didn’t really need to be. Maewenn, the metal cook, was standing at the shore, her hands clutched in front of her. Tim, the broken but adorable iron soldier was there as well, staring aimlessly at the boat.
But someone who was missing was Mordred.
Her shoulders fell. Looking up at Galahad, she didn’t need to ask her question for the Knight in Gold to understand.
“He opted not to see you off.”
Cringing, Gwen turned to look up at the keep, and shouted at it. At him. “You fucking coward!” She grimaced, deciding she really was done crying over him. Was that how he really felt? Did she mean so little to him that he couldn’t even say goodbye? Fine. Fine! Whatever. “You’re such an asshole!” she screamed up at the keep, knowing he likely couldn’t hear her. “If this is what you want? Sure! Fuck you!”
Cracking her neck from side to side, she threw up her hands. If that really was how Mordred felt, then that made things simpler. Taking her letter out from the fold of her dress, she held it out to Galahad. “Give this to him. I wanted to give it to him personally, but the rusted shitstain apparently couldn’t be bothered.”
Galahad took the letter and bowed his head. “It shall be done.”
Maewenn let out a sob and rushed over to hug her. “I told that idiot—I told him?—”
“I know, Mae. I know.” She hugged the cook. “It’s okay. This is probably for the best.” It wasn’t, but that was what she was supposed to say, right? “If this is how he wants it, then fuck him.”
“I—I made you a basket of snacks for the journey—just in case.” The cook rushed over to the rock where she had placed a wicker basket. It was filled with meat pies, cheese, bread, vegetables, and fruit. Gwen also saw a bottle, one she hoped was water and not vodka. That was all she would need—retching overboard.
Eod started sniffing the basket, his tail wagging. As long as there was food, he was happy.
Smiling through the tears that were threatening to overtake her, Gwen hugged Maewenn again. “Thank you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for being such a wonderful friend.”
Maewenn was crying—tearlessly, as she was made of metal—too much to speak. She simply hugged Gwen hard enough that it hurt a little before finally stepping away.
Next was Tim. When Gwen walked up, the unfinished guard’s shoulders slumped.
“Hey. It’ll be okay. At least you have a name now, right, Tim?” She reached out and took the guard’s hand. He squeezed hers gently. “Thanks for trying to help me so much.”
He nodded slowly but didn’t look at her. She let his hand go a moment later, put the basket of goodies into the skiff, and then went up to Galahad. Taking a deep breath, she held it for a moment before letting it out.
“Tell him…” She didn’t know what to say. “Whatever. Just fucking whatever. It’s all in the letter.”
Galahad reached out and pulled her into an embrace, careful not to crush her against his golden plate armor. “I am so very sorry for how this has played out.”
She hugged him back, though she couldn’t reach her arms all the way around him. “Could I have done things differently?”
“I do not believe you could. You did your best and stayed true to yourself. And sometimes, that is all that we can take with us in the end. That we tried.” He stroked a hand over her hair. “You are a kind-hearted soul, Gwendolyn Wright. You will live a long and happy life on Earth.”
She sniffled. She wasn’t so sure about either of those things. “I’m surprised Doc isn’t here.”
“He vanished yesterday. Said that Mordred had made ‘the boring choice’ and walked off into the woods.” Galahad grunted. “Wizards.”
She chuckled. That did sound like Doc. Oh, well. She supposed it was better that way. One less teary goodbye. “So—how does this work?” She looked back at the skiff.
“It will take you wherever it is commanded to go. I have been instructed to tell it to send you home.” Galahad frowned. “When you are ready, please climb in.”
There was no point in delaying the inevitable. With one last hug for each of the three of them in order, she climbed into the skiff. Eod joined her a second later, still eagerly nosing at the food, oblivious to the seriousness of the situation.
Sitting down on the bench in the center of the boat, she noticed there were no oars. It wasn’t like she needed to row it if it was magic, she supposed. At least she wouldn’t have to row her own ass home. That just sounded like adding insult to injury.
“This sucks.”
