The heroes will always be remembered {LANCE}

[Phoebus]

This was utterly overwhelming.  In the - Phoebus wasn't entirely sure of the time frame, but he reckoned around twenty-four hours - since he had arrived in this strange and unfamiliar place, he had discovered that magic was indeed real, but nothing like the sort of things he'd seen 'witches' burn for, time travel apparently existed, and the legends of Camelot, the bedtime stories he'd grown up, were in fact real, and half the cast of his childhood games were seemingly here, in this place, with him.

Oh, and apparently there was no way home just now.

It was little too much to process all at once, and Phoebus had decided to walk to try and clear his head, or at least just to come to terms with some of the revelations he'd had dropped on him.  At least the Lady Elaine had been incredibly beautiful - that at least was something to think about that wasn't particularly stressful.  And he'd managed to mostly behave as the perfect knight, so there was something else to add to the pro list.  He couldn't help but smile as he thought back to his luck at stumbling upon her in the woods.  From the sounds of it, he could have encountered much, much worse.

His walk had led him out of the school, and rather than head towards more buildings he had chosen the open sky, and found himself at the edge of a lake.  He stood on the shore, taking some deep breaths and looking out over the water, trying to take stock of things.  Reaching down, he picked up a stone from the shore tossing it in his hand a couple of times before skimming it across the surface, only managing two bounces before the stone disappeared under the surface.

"Damn armour..."  He muttered, rolling his eyes.

[Lancelot du Lac]

Legend had it that the waters could hurt or heal. Lance wasn't sure of that, but there was still some part of him that, despite himself, kept getting drawn toward water. Particularly now, when he wanted to try and calm himself yet again. It seemed like no matter what he did, that rage bubbled just under the surface. Being here, having to protect Gwen and Tristian, dealing with this hellhole, and that wasn't even considering recent nominations to positions of authority (because apparently Tintagel liked messing with people there too).

So Lance opted toward the lake, taking his sword with him. Because if there was one thing that helped burn off stress, it was training. His sword carved into the air, almost whistling as he worked it around. Lance's motions weren't exactly beautiful: he was skillful, true, but in a rough, tumble sort of way. Lance had mastered the dirty art of swordfighting, and his practice swings indicated that.

Didn't stop the man from swinging a weapon like it was nothing. A sound drew his attention, and he turned, still holding the sword in front of him, outstretched toward the source: a new person. "I'm guessing you're lost," he said, still keeping the weapon at hand, but not quite in a threatening position... yet.

[Phoebus]

He hadn't noticed the new arrival, and swung around at the voice, to be confronted with the business end of a sword pointing in his direction. Phoebus' hand automatically went to the hilt of his own sword, but, in an attempt to look less threatening, he simply rested his hand on the hilt, taking in the newcomer.

"Not lost, no." He said thoughtfully, looking around. "Just thought I'd take in the scenery and get some fresh air. It's been a hell of a day." He nodded at the sword in the other man's hand and raised an eyebrow. "Just practicing, or something more sinister?" In the few conversations he'd had since arriving, Phoebus had decided this was the sort of place it was better to be safe than sorry, and if that meant outright asking someone if they intended to kill him, then that's what he'd do. He was a skilled swordsman, and he wasn't worried about holding his own if necessary.

Unless of course this was another one of Arthur's legendary knights who'd stepped out of his storybooks to challenge everything he'd ever known.

[Lancelot du Lac]

A hell of a day? Lance chuckled. 'Welcome to Trenale," he said, before looking around. "And what sort of sinister plot would I be plotting in the middle of no where? I'm not the type to leave bodies or dump them in lakes."

Lance looked out to that body of water, frowning. Now that he'd said it, he had to wonder if there actually were some in there. Probably, given the myths and legends. Idiots were drawn to that like flies. Lance had to wonder if some weren't students. God, he hoped not.

He looked back to the guy, and he nodded. "Didn't quite catch your name, stranger," he said, keeping his voice even, not quite threatening, but dancing just on the boundary of being precisely that.

[Phoebus]

Phoebus shrugged slightly, looking around. "Well in a place where apparently storybook heroes come to life, magic is very much real, and 300 year old women still look really, really good - I'm a little wary of making any assumptions." He muttered, more to himself than to Lance, but loud enough to be heard.

He followed the other man's gaze out to the water, feeling somewhat apprehensive. So far he'd only battled a wolf since arriving, but given the pretty much constant revelations this place had offered so far, he thought it wise to be wary. And this guy might not look the type to murder him and dump his body, but that didn't mean it wasn't going to happen. No matter what he said to the contrary. He kept his hand on his sword, just in case.

He straightened, puffing his chest out slightly as he introduced himself. "Sergeant Phoebus de Châteaupers." He saluted the other man by raising his fist to his breast. "Now don't tell me, you're Prince Charming?" He chuckled at his own joke.

[Lancelot du Lac]

"You'll get used to the place screwing with you after a while," said Lance, adding a dry chuckle. He moved to sheathe his sword: this was a newcomer, and while he may be a bit older than those that were usually dropped here, he didn't strike Lance as being a potential threat. If anything, he was someone who Lance needed to protect, which irritated the knight even as he slid into his almost too natural role.

"Sorry, Charming hasn't come back yet," Lance drawled. He nodded. "Sir Lancelot du Lac, sworn knight of the Summer Country and second to Queen Guinevere...' he trailed off, tempted to add a little more, almost wanting to take possession of his lady love. He licked his lips, swallowing down the words and feelings. "Nice to meet another soldier," and he stepped forward, extending his hand.

It was time for a manly handshake.

[Phoebus]

Charming hadn't come back yet... did he actually just say that? Oh this place was crazy. Phoebus still wasn't entirely sure he wasn't in some elaborate hallucination, but having been assured repeatedly that it was not, he was forced to conclude that he was just going crazy. That was the only logical explanation.

And then he introduced himself. Phoebus' mouth fell open and he stared, a little ball of excitement growing in his stomach and threatening to explode from his chest. Lancelot du Lac. THE Lancelot. The ultimate knight, champion, romantic hero. This wasn't happening, this was just too much. Sure, he'd met Merlin already, that had been incredible, especially since he wasn't the super old bearded man all the stories said he was, but younger and cooler and... Phoebus took a breath, slightly worried he was about to start hyperventilating in front of his childhood hero.

He grabbed Lance's hand, shaking it a little too enthusiastically. "Sir Lancelot, it is an honour, seriously, I mean, I grew up reading all about you and the other knights - you're the reason I became a soldier, I used to play as you whenever I played knights with my brothers as a child." He was still shaking Lance's hand... "I mean, you are the ultimate knight, you are just..." Phoebus realised he was gushing and let go of Lance's hand, running his hand through his hair and taking a couple of calming breaths.

"Eh-hem, I mean, hmm, nice to meet you. I love your work."

I love your work?! Oh god he was an idiot.

[Lancelot du Lac]

So much for the "manly" part of that handshake. Lance did pump it, and he at least let Phoebus hang onto him for as long as possible. This technically wasn't the first time this had happened to him: it did seem like the Arthurian Legends were oddly widespread... and wholly inaccurate.

"The Ultimate knight?" Lance repeated, letting out a gruff laugh as he finally released Phoebus' hand. "I also wouldn't believe everything you've read. Near as I can tell, they made up quite a lot of shit about us." He nodded with some confidence, before resting his hand on his sword. "I also really wouldn't recommend pretending to be me: there are a helluva lot better role models out there."

Like those that weren't in love with someone else's wife. Or attempting to help raise someone else's kid. Or who actually gave a damn about doing their job anymore.

[Phoebus]

"Oh, well, I mean - I haven't pretended to be you in a long time." Phoebus flustered, all the time wishing he could just get a grip on himself. This was Lancelot for God's sake. If there was one person in the entirety of history that he'd have wanted to be super cool and suave in front of, it was his hero. But apparently that ship had sailed. "I mean I haven't played those games since I was a child. My brothers always wanted to be Arthur, but not me. I always wanted to be Lancelot, erm... you."

For the love of all that is good and holy in this world, Phoebus, stop talking. Stop talking right now.

"But, erm, the stories aren't all true? That's fascinating. I mean, I guess Malory wasn't actually there, was he, how could he have known what you were really like?" He gave an odd, strained chuckle. "But now I'm the lucky one who gets to find out the truth!"

Wow, Phoebus. 10/10 on the creepy scale. He wanted to facepalm. This was not going well.

[Lancelot du Lac]

Lnance kept a level expression as this man, this grown man, mind, stumbled his way through talking to him. It was as if he couldn't talk through more than a sentence without sounding like a four year old meeting his hero. Though the bit about wanting to be Lancelot over Arthur did have Lance chuckling slightly.

"Arthur's not that bad,' he said. "Bit of a prat, and cocky in a fight, but he backs it up with good skill. There's a good leader there somewhere," and not a bad father or husband, depending on who you considered Arthur's actual... wife? Was that the word for Merlin? Lance was just going to go with it: he'd never pretended to understand that relationship, and he wasn't going to start now.

Which did make it rather ironic when figuring out the bit about myths. "Hold onto that feeling while you can, it won't last long," Lance looked back over the lake, wondering if he shouldn't just wander off instead of bursting this poor guy's dreams. He'd be sorely disappointed to learn that Arthur's a prat who was actually more in love with Merlin while his "wife" Guinevere was sort of between Lancelot the half-drunken medical knight who hated magic and Gaston the blustering idiot who wanted to crush everyone around him. And that wasn't even taking into consideration everyone else. Camelot and the Summer Country were just one bit soap opera.

[Phoebus]

Phoebus still couldn't quite get used to the fact that the man in front of him was talking about Arthur - King Arthur, the most legendary king in history - as if he was an old friend. And did he just call him a prat?

"Oh, to meet King Arthur." Phoebus muttered, eyes wide and head shaking slightly. "I mean, to actually meet the King of the legends, the High King of Britain, who united the warring country and did all those incredible things... I'm still not entirely sure I'm not stuck in some elaborate hallucination." He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

"So, how come you're all here, not in Camelot creating all those legends for someone to write down for us fans to read later?" He asked with a smile. "I mean, Elaine said you'd all disappeared, that she thought you might be here, but I don't get it. What's so special about this place?"

[Lancelot du Lac]

"Yeah Arthur's going to love you,' said Lance, letting out a rough laugh. He shook his head. "And I promise, this isn't a hallucination. Pinch yourself a few times if you don't believe me. This," he gestured, "isn't going anyway any time soon."

The next question had Lance quirking a brow. They'd been away from Camelot barely a week or so, if that, hadn't they? Time was a bit slippery when the days melted like they did here. Not having a set schedule wasn't helping matters either. But for someone... an Elaine? Didn't Lance know an Elaine? He felt like he'd met one or two, but he'd met so many people.

Which left the more answerable question to address.

"Place has magic in it. Sucks people in, keeps part of them locked here... not in a literal sense, though it might as well," Lance shrugged. "Part of why I was out here, practicing. Got to do something to keep myself sane in this insane place." He looked back to Phoebus. "You should try to get out of here. After all, you look a little too old to be heading off to school here."

[Phoebus]

"Oh, I've done the pinching thing. Or rather, someone else has done it for me." Phoebus said with a nod. "Didn't help. Although the wolf attack that immediately followed helped a little." He muttered, unconsciously bringing his hand up to the scratches on his neck.

Phoebus nodded at the explanation of magic. After all, he'd been sucked here himself, it made sense to him that others had too. Lance's next statement was interesting though, and he frowned slightly. "So this isn't your first time here?" He asked with interest. Those legends really didn't have the whole story, and Phoebus wondered what else was missing. He thought about writing the stories himself when he got home - The Real Legends of King Arthur and His Knights. Would anyone believe them, though? He was having enough trouble himself, and he was here, living them.

"I heard mention of a university." Phoebus said thoughtfully. "I'd never have the opportunity to go to university back home - my parents aren't quite important enough to pull those kinds of strings. The army's all I've got, but here..." He looked around, shrugging. "Maybe I could make more of myself here."

[Lancelot du Lac]

A wolf attack? Lance's brows raised at that. He almost wanted to ask about it, but it was clear that Phoebus had handled himself well enough. Lingering on it would almost be worse. Better to keep answering questions, even if that answer mostly entailed just nodding along with it. "Most of us from Camelot and the surrounding area have been here a few times..." Lance looked back toward the lake, contemplation settling onto his face. "Technically this is my third trip."

Though the second time he'd been Levain, some nothing knight from no where. He frowned at the memory. Everything he'd said and done as Levi stayed with him. He supposed it shouldn't bother him: it hadn't really changed his core identity, though he doubted that Phoebus would've been as impressed with Sir Levain.

"That is one of the few advantages this place offers," Lance agreed. "I studied medicine here. Built from what I learned back home, so now I serve as the medic," his gaze swept over Phoebus. "Doesn't mean I forgot anything else. Just in case you wanted to keep those soldiering skills up to par. Never know when that could be useful."

Which yes, was an offer to spar. Lance was about ready to start wincing, since he could almost predict the fanboy squeals that were sure to start leaking from this man.

[Phoebus]

Three trips... Phoebus immediately thought that if it was good enough for Lancelot to keep coming back, he definitely didn't want to head home just yet. That thought of impressing Arthur enough for a knighthood was still floating around his mind, but there were other considerations too. He loved being a soldier, it was all he'd ever wanted to do and he was damn good at it, but there was only so far he could go in the army. He wasn't nobility - he'd hit a ceiling eventually. But here? There was something different about this place.

He was about to ask Lancelot more about the university, about his studies of medicine - when he offered to spar. Phoebus' mouth fell open as his brain took a moment to process the request. Sparring with Sir Lancelot? It was, quite literally a dream come true. After a moment he realised he was staring, his mouth opening and closing giving him a somewhat fish-like appearance.

Finally he found his voice. "Really? You'd spar with me? I could spar with Sir Lancelot? That would be incredible, that's like a dream come true, I mean, sparring with your childhood hero? That's just..." he searched for the right words, completely oblivious to what a dork he was being. "Wow. God, that would be amazing." A thought occurred to him and he gazed at Lancelot in awe. "Sir Lancelot... will you be my mentor?"