Chapter Text
Camelot's pretty nice, Sonic muses.
People are friendly, the country's beautiful with plenty of running room, and since Arthur's been dethroned it's been super peaceful. A paradise. Or almost anyways, since chili dogs don't exactly exist in medieval times and trying to make 'em himself sucks when he wants one the instant the thought pops into his head.
There's just one thing nagging at him that made him decide to stay in the first place. You could call it prophecy since it came directly from the royal wizard herself. Or, former royal wizard. She stepped down soon after Sonic took the throne, albeit unwillingly on both ends.
A rift between the knights of the round table, and Arthur being betrayed by his son... But then Sonic showed up and changed the tune of the story entirely. He became both hero and villain, rewriting virtually everything with his and Merlina's actions. But she said ruin would still befall the kingdom anyhow. What kind of ruin exactly was a mystery to him, since he kinda fucked up the original plot. And y'know, a whole lot of crazy stuff happens to him that doesn't exactly happen to everyone else. Including this. What if it wasn't just a natural fall of the kingdom with politics and nobility and whatnot? What if his involvement brought something else? Normally he wouldn't mind it, but certain things happened before that were a direct result of him simply being there in that particular time and place...
He'd really hate if he came here, fixed their evil king problem, and then left just for a brand new unique problem to crop up because of him doing all that.
He's doing it again. Just sitting there and turning Merlina's last letter around and around, thinking really hard about what she could've possibly meant. 'I am truly sorry for what is to come.' There's no way she got another bout of clairvoyance out of a new book. If it could morph according to what does and doesn't happen, it'd probably be some important relic or something like that and people would want their hands on it. As far as he knows, the only relics that're that powerful and famous are the barrier stones, the grail, and Excalibur.
His head snaps up out of his thoughts when someone hurries through the door.
Percival slows her hurrying upon spotting Sonic sitting in his chamber. “My king,” She kneels before the hedgehog can protest the formal address. “I apologize for intruding.”
Sonic quirks an eyebrow, tossing the letter down onto the desk and turning towards her. “And what've I said about that? I'd really rather you use my name, y'know?” Though, 'king' sure has been a hell of a lot better than 'knave'.
She straightens up, stiffens, unsure how to proceed before giving in and taking a more relaxed stance. “I apologize. Sonic. It's still strange to address you so casually.”
“Yeah? Well, I'm not Arthur, and I'm not for all the stuffy royalty... stuff. I might as well not be king anyways, pfft. I have no idea what I'm doing.” He kicks his feet up on the desk, playing a dangerous game of balancing his chair on the back legs since he can't stand sitting still for two seconds. “So what's up? Somebody askin' for me again?”
“Nay, my- Sonic. Quite the opposite, in fact. On my patrols, I had overheard townsfolk gossiping about your journey into town today. That you were still out and around. Lancelot had said you were here, and I wanted to confirm such.”
“Is Lancelot out of the castle?”
“That is precisely the issue. He is not. You should know that, if you have left your chambers...”
Sonic hasn't. It's unusual for him, but he's had that letter on his mind since it arrived yesterday. “I've been taking a self care day, so I haven't. You sure it wasn't Galahad?”
“I am absolutely certain. He is accounted for as well.” Percival's relaxed posture tightens up. “There have been rumors that you have been taking more trips into towns and such, but at times when you are here, or with us knights, or seen by the castle servants... It is strange. Your speed is incredible enough to give title to, but to be in two places at once is impossible, is it not?” She's staring him down from behind that visor, he can feel it. If he could do that, it'd be pretty cool honestly. But the truth is a lot less astounding than that.
“Uhhh, no, not that I know of.” He sits the chair down back as it should, taking his feet off the desk and back onto the floor. It's super weird, lots of people have been saying this lately, that they've seen him or heard he's been around somewhere he totally wasn't at the time. “Maybe there's a new hedgehog in town? This kinda thing happens to me pretty often.”
“Perhaps...” Percival lifts a hand to her chin in thought, tail flicking behind her. She's not entirely buying the way he's brushing it off. After all, if rumors are swirling about her king, that does give room towards even more rumors, and that could cause problems. “Very well. Thank you for indulging me. I shall take my leave.” She kneels once more and turns, strolling back through the corridors of the castle, probably back to her self-appointed duty of patrolling the towns.
Sonic really wishes she'd loosen up a little, but that's not exactly something Blaze does either. It's not helping that this is something to have concern for, even though she probably doesn't realize it.
Shadow got mistaken for him. Silver, too. That wasn't uncommon. It's happened here too with Lancelot and Galahad. Hell, they got mixed up for each other sometimes too, at least before Lancelot can introduce himself, or before Galahad can flounder that he's not the greatest of the knights. It's pretty rare Sonic gets mistaken for one of them considering he's technically the king now. But to be so consistently “seen” around... It's a little weird, like he's got a twin suddenly. He really just hopes this mystery hedgehog isn't abusing that mistake. Which from the sounds of it all, he isn't, and thank god for that.
He passes a glance to the letter again. Maybe this came at the right time to get him out of his own head. He should go bother Lancelot to spar again or something instead of sitting around worrying over a stupid letter all day. Whatever happens, happens. He'll cross that bridge when he comes to it. Or beat that baddie when they show up, whatever.