“Arthur?” she asked a guard posted outside the room, and he gestured to the other end of the common. She could see him on his way toward the front gate, and started after him. Before long, she was by his side. The rest of the knights were steadily joining ranks behind them.

“I do not ask you to go with me,” Arthur said, eyes still ahead.

“And we do not ask to come,” she replied. “We have followed you this far and you have not led us astray. Knew we ahead of time that this day was our last, we would follow you – to whatever end.”

Arthur continued to walk, not responding.

Her father met them soon, addressing the knights as he knew that he had lost his daughter. “Why do you follow this man to your deaths? You must know there is no chance for your survival! Why do you throw your lives away needlessly?”