Heaven's Feeling – 11

"Arturia… you cannot rule if you show no empathy toward your people, why can't you feel their pains and loss?" Naturo muttered sadly and remembered his vows to serve her until his last breath.

He looked at his hand.

It was still youthful.

He hadn't aged a single day, nor did she… it seemed like he was stuck in his contract.

"I hope you changed one day, even if a little… Arturia," Naruto said as he walked toward the stable, where dozens more Knights were packing up their things, getting their horses, and heading elsewhere else.

Time went peacefully, but that peace was shattered when Lancelot's and Guinevere's affair was revealed by traitors.

Naruto caught the traitors after some investigation, but the damage was done.

The Kingdom became divided.

Arturia did not see the inescapably unrighteous action as a betrayal; she understood the sacrifice Guinevere had made to conceal her gender.

Still, as dictated by law and Arturia's capacity as King, she ordered the execution of Guinevere without any hesitation.

In the end, Lancelot couldn't allow the love of his life be killed. He rallied support around him.

This had brought forth the tragedy that no one wanted and torn the kingdom apart.

Those that knew the truth stood by Lancelot's side.

Naruto wanted to stand by Lancelot's side, and to tell Arturia that she was in the wrong, but his vows to serve her made his choice for him.

Naruto wept as he had to cut down those that were his friends, who he had trained with, in Arturia's name, and for the stability of the Kingdom.

He was also tasked of bring back the traitor Lancelot and the former Queen Guinevere.

If they resist, he was to bring back their head.

Lancelot' and Naruto' blades clashed dozens of time on a grassy field where countless of other Knights lay dead and unburied.

Lancelot was disarmed after a few more clashes and fell backward on the grass.

Lancelot was exhausted as Naruto moved toward his long-time friend.

Guinevere immediately stood in between.

She used her body to shield the incoming strike as Naruto stopped an inch before her face.

"Please, Naruto, you know there was no right or wrong to this… I thought I could live a life without love, but I couldn't… I don't remember when I fell in love with Lancelot and his ideals… if anyone was in the wrong, it's mine," Guinevere begged the knight in crimson armours with some visible white line.

Blood had not covered it completely.

Naruto looked through his helmet, and at the girl determined face.

He closed his eyes and tilted his head a little afterward.

"My Queen, please go… as far away from this place as possible, go where no one can find you," Naruto suggested.

He wanted to spare the Queen.

She was still his Queen, but Guinevere shook her head.

"Without Lancelot, I will not leave," Guinevere declared, still shielding Lancelot's body with her own.

Lancelot placed a hand on Guinevere's shoulder and gently moved her out the way.

"Naruto, I know that you do want to do this as you could have killed me dozens time over already, but when I clashes with you, your blade hesitated… it's crying out in pain. You covered your face in amour, so I couldn't see your sorrows; I understood that, but if you must, then take my life to honor your oath to Arturia," Lancelot offered while Guinevere protested.

She couldn't live without him, and he without her.

If they were to die, they should die together.

Naruto watched their little drama through the watery barrier that somehow erected in front of eyes.

Naruto looked at the black blade in his hand and then toward the sky.

"Lancelot… Do you remember those years ago where you blocked sword strike from Arturia and spared my life… let me returned the favor," Naruto said as he threw the heavy blade upward into the sky.

It was spinning in the air as Lancelot and Guinevere watched the weapon's motion.

It fell towards earth and slashed through the Crimson Knight's front armour.

It embedded deep into the ground.

Blood erupted from the gaping wound and spraying outward right in the front of the shocked couple.

"NARUTO!" they both shouted, running toward their friend as he collapsed backward from his severe self-inflicted injury.