The old knight was humming to himself as he rode back to Camelot after a long overdue visit to his home village in the mountains. Twas a beautiful day, and he was thinking how he should have done this long ago. It had been many a year since his last visit, he made a mental note to not let so much time elapse before his next. Twas nice to take off his armor for a few days rather than a few hours. Though he had no immediate family left, he had a few distant relatives that still lived there, and they were more than happy to accommodate one whom they only knew from a few missives throughout the years. Aye, twas a wonderful time all around. He would have to make it regular stop on his travels throughout the realms.

Bruno, his mount was becoming edging which brought him out of his revelry. "What is it Bruno?" he asked his friend. Bruno’s only answer was to pull his ears up and point them towards the right into the thick brush. The old knight halted him and listened. Hearing nothing he patted Bruno on the neck, "Your getting edgy boy." He laughed while continuing to pat his thick neck. "We’ll be home by tomorrow the latest." He then urged his mount forward along the well worn path.

Bruno became even more agitated, picking up the pace a bit and constantly turning his head to this side listening. The old knights mind was not entirely on the task at hand, getting home safely. He’d been through these woods a thousand times, and felt he knew them like the back of his hand. "Tis okay boy, we’re safe here. Probably just a wolf or somethin. Nothin ta worry about." They continued on.

The pair came to a bend in the path, it was then that Bruno reared suddenly! The old knight was thrown off and landed with a thud on the ground, momentarily stunned. The pyro snake that had caused the Bruno to rear was on them in a heart beat spraying fire at them both. Bruno managed to jump away from most of it, but the old knight took the full brunt of the attack!

Bruno immediately went to the aid of his downed friend and proceeded to duel with the snake, though to tell the truth, it was a one sided fight. Bruno was enraged and killed the snake with his second kick. After an extra trampling of the offending snake he returned to his friend, still unmoving on the ground.

Bruno whinnied to his downed companion, after getting no response he reaered and stamped the ground. Still nothing! He then pushed his muzzle against the old knight head, soon after a few more pushes, the old knights eye’s opened. "Bruno, what happened? I must be gettin old for you to buck me off yer back." He said while trying to catch his breath.

Bruno continued to push the old knight. "Just a minute my old friend, that took more outta me than I thought." He said still trying to catch his breath. "Okay boy, let me get up so we can git home." It was then that the realization of his situation hit home, his arms wouldn’t work! And he couldn’t feel his legs!

"Oh Bruno...what are we gonna do now?" he asked his friend trying not to worry him. The two had been together for many years and felt each others thoughts. Only today, he’d shut his friend out when he was thinking of his visit, instead of listening to the one who had saved his life more time than he could count!

He reopened the link with Bruno. Letting him know how sorry he was for not listening to him. Bruno’s only response was to nuzzle him again trying to get him to move. The old knight sent him a picture of what he’d done to himself in the fall. Bruno reared! When he came back down he turned away to listen to the sounds of the forest, listening for any dangers which might be waiting.

The old knight knew they couldn’t wait here, and he couldn’t move. His only chance was to send Bruno for help, this at least would get his friend to safety. "Bruno!" he coughed, which left a bit of blood on the corner of his mouth, "Listen to me…Ye must get help…I can’t move. Find the knights." He both said and sent mental pictures to his old friend.

Bruno balked at the idea, wanting to stay and do his duty to protect his friend! He shook his head from side to side and reared again!

"Bruno!" more coughing, this was gettin too hard. "You have to…I will not last long...please Bruno" this was the last bit of energy he had, he fainted.

Bruno tried for several minutes to revive his friend to no avail. Finally he raised up and ran around the perimeter trampling all in his wake. The returned to pull the old knight into the bushes, trying to hide his friend from danger. When satisfied he took off down the path like the wind!

The old knight awoke, or at least he thought he awoke. He could not see! He hoped twas just night fall, for there was a drop in the ever present heat. He listened. There were the unmistakable sounds of the woods at night! He was still alive, but for how long. His breathing had slowed, but was regular, though very shallow. He knew this was not good. He also knew he was bleeding inside.

"What a stupid was to die" he thought. "Fallin off ones horse! Ha’n done that since I be a page."

He tried to sense Bruno about, but felt nothing. He hoped that meant Bruno had gotten away safely. The link didn’t last long when they were separated. Bruno thoughts were not as strong as a human’s, though even these he failed to find also. He knew not if this be because he was truly alone out here or the injury had effected more than his body, but his mind too.

He tried to find ways to occupy his mind, the only functioning part of his body left to him. He thought of who would be on duty this time of, night was it? That’d be the twins he thought. An if’n it be day break, then could be young Tyberius and the big one, what’s his name…Big John. That was it! Course maybe Bruno would find a patrol before he got back to Camelot. Bruno can find anything. What day was he wondered, he couldn’t remember.

This went on for what seemed hours. With only his mind to occupy himself, he couldn’t tell. He recited all the names he could remember of the membership of KORT back to when he was a page. Twas quite a list, even he had not thought often upon these names, at least not all at once. He then thought of the battles he’d had throughout the years, they be many too. But this only depressed him, for along with the battles came the funerals. Twas not the thing to think of just now he told himself.

Even though he’d been ready for his own death many times, he’d not thought often about it. In fact he couldn’t remember the last time he did. Usually too busy at the time to think on it, and afterwards too bust taking care of the wounded or praising Tyr for the living that it just never crossed his mind. Now that’s all he had left, his mind and the time to ponder it.

"If ye were to die today, would ye be ready for it?" this question popped into his mind unbidden.

"Yes." He answered himself without pause, at least he hoped it twas himself askin.

"Why I’ve lived a full life. What more could one ask for?" he thought again.

"A wife?"

"Oh, well...there ne’r was time fer that. Too busy." He thought slowly.

"Children?"

"Oh, children." He smiled, "Twould hae been nice ta av’ ad wee little ones…But, without the wife." He left it at that, hoping his other self would see the logic. Nope!

"Why?"

"You know verra well! Look at what I’va done these past, what is it? Thirty odd years or so? There were the wars. So many wars. So many who needed help." He took a deep breath remembering in flashes faces that came in a blur, a lifetime of those in need.

"Others managed it."

"So they did, so they did…But that was meant to be. So be it." he thought, trying to gives excuses to himself.

"Why?"

"Someone caught their eye. A look, a stare, a smile, a touch! I don’t know! I never had those I guess." He was gettin impatient with these thoughts.

Silence.

"Oh, so now you stop!" he thought, "Good!"

Silence.

"I took my joy at watchin others." He thought, tryin to at least get a conversation going again. Anything was better than silence.

Silence.

"They take too much time…Time that could be spent helpin others! That’s what I do." he said rationalizing.

Silence.

"What would I av done wi’a family? Who woulda helped when I cou’nae been there causa be’n at home?

Silence.

"How many times was I tha onliest one ta help. What wouda happind ta those folks then?"

Silence.

"There ne’r was any one dangit!" he shouted in his mind.

"Truth Keeper?"

It was the old knights turn for silence.

‘Truth Keeper?"

He refused to listen, though it was quite hard when the voice came from inside yer own head!

‘Truth Keeper?" the voice continued to ask!

"Okay!" he shouted to the other. "Maybe!" he took a deep labored breath. "Maybe once, there was one who might’ve been..But that was long ago." He let the thought trail off.

Silence again. he didn’t know which he hated the most, the questions or the silence!

"Twasn’t meant ta happen is all." He let slip out a bit angrily.

"Why"

"Again tha why’s!" he was not used to being questioned by anyone.

Silence.

The old knight let the silence continue for several minutes, or hours, he couldn’t tell.

"We were two different folks in those days. She had her world, her responsibilities, and I had mine." The thoughts came unbidden now as the floodgate of the past was opened.

"Twas a time of wars. Many many wars. So much death. How could one think of a life together if it meant seein that life gone the verra next day in battle? Would that one day av been worth a lifetime of pain at tha loss? I’v seen many a knight waste away after losin a mate! Tis a painful thing to see." He stopped and thought of all the pain he’d seen in their eyes. The slow death without the one they lived for.

Had he not made his life KORT? Had he not nourished it like a wife? And had he not thought since day one of it’s members as his family, even his own children of late?

"There be happiness there!" he sent to his other self.

‘Truth Keeper?"

"Have I suffered for the lack?" he asked himself.

"Have thee not?"

"Nay!" he felt triumph. For truly he had not felt...much for the lack.

"Truth Keeper?"

Silence again, he thought of nothing. Then slowly but imperceptibly the thoughts began to enter his mind. The pictures in time, frozen there by his own mind. Ones he’d tucked away neatly for what? A day such as this!?

They were of the one. He wished he could shake his head of these memories for they were now painful as the day he tucked them away so long ago.

"She was beautiful"

"Aye she was." He agreed with himself. "But there were nay beautiful ladies than. Twas a bit o pride fer KORT. We had all the loveliest ladies in all the realms." The faces ran before his blind eyes, but slowly they all returned to the one, till finally all faded but the one.

"Why?

"Why what?" he asked irritated momentarily at the need to turn his minds eye away from her face.

"Why?"

"Alright…Fear!" he said it! So long had it lain there, the one fear that had taken root and never left. He’d tried for years and thought finally it must have disappeared! But alas, there it was.

"I was afraid o the answer!" the painful truth once again slid to the front of his mind. "I was afraid she’d say no…That would have been the end o me. Of that I’m sure! Better not to know the answer is it not? Than to face the wrong answer." Again the floodgate opened, only this time he feared twould nae stop!

He thought of the battles back to back. The laughter in the air as they faced death and life together, if only temporary. He let his mind replay her voice. Strong, intelligent, sweet, loving…

His thoughts stopped as he labored for breath, it was becoming increasingly hard to breath. He knew it wouldn’t be long before he was no more.

"Maybe… I should …have …braved it." he thought finally.

"M’lady..I be sorry…."

"M’lord!"

"Tis..you?" he asked the sweet sounding voice.

"M’Lord, you shall be okay." came the voice of an angel.

"Aye…with you…." And he heard no more.