Sword in the lake

It's a warm day in a forest in the British countryside. I was walking by a lake in the forest when I saw something sticking up out of the water shining ever so slightly. The water is muddy and full of seaweed looking tendrils. Quite disgusting really. Curiosity getting the better of me I reached out almost falling into the lake but managing to grab the item. I dredge it out from the lake slowly bit by bit seeing more and more of the item. The more I see the more confused I become. Only when I finally finish pulling it out do I see that it's a sword. I stare at it confused, "Who puts a sword in a lake?"

Suddenly a strange looking woman burst from the water, "Why that would be me! I'm the Lady of the Lake. And now you're a king."

I blink slowly staring at this strange woman who almost looks like she might be a mermaid. I think I can see just the beginning of a fish tail leading down from her stomach. "Excuse me? What did you say? The Lady of the Lake? I'm a king now? What?" I take a seat on the ground still holding on to the sword. I notice that the longer I hold it the more it seems to clean itself. I can now see bright silver metal covered with foreign writing. The hilt looks to be made of gold or at least some metal painted gold.

The woman sways back and forth in the water, "What part do you not understand? You were able to see the sword and you were able to pull it out. That means by laws older than most of this world's countries you are now King of Britannia." She submerges herself so really only her head is still sticking up out of the water. "Is Britannia still around? I can't leave this place and the ones who used to bring me news have gone away. You're the first person I've met in a couple of centuries."

By now the sword has fully cleansed itself and is now shining brightly. Brightly enough I have to move it from directly in front of me because it's starting to hurt my eyes. "Alright this is all starting to sound familiar. I remember reading a story about this. A guy named Arthur finds a sword given to him by the Lady of the Lake. She tells him he's King of Britain and he founded a city called Camelot making Britain the greatest country in the world. Are you telling me that's all true? That it wasn't just a story?"

The woman's ears perk up when I say the name Arthur, "Yes Arthur! Oh I remember him. He was so wonderful to me. Even after he became King he would still come to visit me. I also remember when he passed away. He brought the blade back to me and we sat and talked until he fell asleep. It rained for a month right here. It rained so long this whole area became flooded but one day I finally stopped crying. Ever since then I've been waiting for the next person to come, which happens to be you."

I lay back on the ground now looking up at the sky, "Yes Britannia is still around. We just call it Britain now. While we still have a Queen here there hasn't been a King in ages. Now you're telling me I am to become the new King of Britain. I'm just a regular guy with a boring job and no life. Why would the sword pick me?" I sat back up now looking at the woman.

The woman stared at me seriously now, "Just because you don't see anything in yourself doesn't mean the sword doesn't. It sees the potential of an individual, not just who they currently are. Arthur was really nobody when he came to me either. Nothing but a small child who could barely even lift the sword much less swing it. He had nobody with him and nothing either. So take heart that the sword sees something great inside of you even if you don't."

Nodding, I look back at her, "Okay I think I understand. I don't necessarily agree with it but I think I understand at least." I take a deep breath and decide to change the subject, "You said that others used to come here but they haven't been here in a while? Do you know what happened to them?"

She sighed, blowing bubbles in the water. When they pop the water clears up briefly for a moment before becoming muddied again. "They died, I think. My friends were fae folk of these woods. They were quite adept at being able to sneak into the outside world and bring me back news of what's going on in the world. But with the wildlife around this forest slowly being torn down I think my friends were killed in the process." She submerged fully after that and it began to rain all around me but not in me. After fifteen minutes passed the rain eased off and she stuck her head back out of the water, "I'm sorry about that. It makes me so melancholy to think about such things."

I stood up now walking to the edge of the lake. I offer my hand out to the woman, "Well I don't know how much I'll be able to help but perhaps if I am somehow now the King of Britain then maybe I can somehow help restore your forest. So let's be friends okay?" The rain comes again but this time it seems happier. It's a warm light rain that helps to promote growth.

She looks up at me, smiling as tears run down her face, "Yes please. I would like that very much."

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