With one brave enough to confess to the beautiful and fair Gareth of Orkney, more came forward.
Mostly because the way she had rejected the first was so gentle that they were far less afraid, and just wanted to try their luck and prove their bravery, because this was something they could boast about for the rest of their lives.
Yet boys are boys, and faced with someone like Gareth, even the strongest spine grew weak; none could say it clearly.
And it soon became apparent that Gareth was clueless.
Not that she didn't understand love or marriage, but that her idea of courting was, well... just a little outdated.
Anything but the most direct confession would be seen as flattery and some kind of poetry she just didn't understand, but she would still kindly smile and say a few words of thanks.
Lauren struggled to believe it, but she had no choice but to believe it, because she knew Gareth, and knew that if she knew what those dozens of young men... and even more women, were doing, her response would be far different.
So no, she just didn't get it at all.
If not for how kind Gareth was when she turned them down, Lauren would have felt bad for the many hopefuls.
Even if she knew it was all but impossible. After all, behind Gareth stood two very protective brothers, and none of these young people could hope to steal their sister from them.
So, perhaps these people were lucky that Gareth didn't pick up on their meaning, or it might have been far more difficult to deal with.
But at the very least, this would keep the media busy for a few days; she had no doubt her sisters would be able to spin up a few good stories around this and keep the fact that nearly the entire Round Table was off on a secret mission a secret for a while longer.
And as she watched Gareth interact with the crowd, she felt a sense of pride. She was not just a knight, a symbol of power and strength, but also a symbol of hope and kindness, a beacon of light in a world that could often be dark and unforgiving.
And as long as Gareth stood for those values, as long as she continued to bring joy and comfort to the people of Albion, Lauren knew that the kingdom would be safe, that its people would continue to thrive, and that its future would be bright.
Even if they did have to suffer through the occasional terrible bath joke.
------
The meet-and-greet was supposed to last until the late afternoon.
They had, in fact, prepared for it to last even longer, but it seemed even that wasn't going to be enough; the end of the line was nowhere in sight as the sun began its slow descent toward the horizon.
The atmosphere, however, had not soured. If anything, it had become even more festive. The people were tired, yes, but they were also happy, their spirits buoyed by Gareth's unwavering energy and infectious cheer.
Lauren, ever the professional, kept a close eye on things. She had volunteers circulating with water, snacks, and sunscreen. She had medics on standby, just in case. She had a team of social media experts working tirelessly to document the event, to share the joy with those who couldn't be there in person.
She was, in every sense of the word, a conductor, and the park was her orchestra, and Gareth was the star soloist.
And the music they made together was a symphony of joy, a celebration of all that was good and right with Albion.
Yet, as the day wore on, a small problem began to emerge.
The fact that, at some point soon, the day would end. And yet, they had a whole lot more people than they had expected, more than they could possibly get to before then.
While Lauren had tried to warn Gareth about this, the cheerful knight simply refused to leave anyone who had waited all day without meeting her.
It put Lauren in a bind, as she couldn't just have Gareth stand there for the whole night.
Sure, as a Knight of the Round Table, she wouldn't grow tired at all, but the same couldn't be said for everyone else.
It had quickly become clear that opening the event to everyone had been a mistake; despite scheduling multiple such events in the coming weeks, everyone seemed to want to take part in this one.
"Alright, we need to make a decision," Lauren said, stepping up to Gareth's side as she took a brief break between fans. "We can't keep this going forever."
Gareth's smile faltered for a moment, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes. "But there are still so many people waiting."
"I know," Lauren said, her voice soft but firm. "And we will find a way to see them all, I promise. But not today. We have to think about the volunteers, the security, the media. They all need to go home at some point."
Gareth looked out at the crowd, her expression thoughtful. "You're right," she said after a moment. "I just... I don't want to disappoint anyone."
"You won't," Lauren assured her. "We will announce that we'll be back soon, that we'll have more events, that we'll do everything we can to meet everyone who wants to meet you."
Gareth nodded, her resolve hardening. "Okay. I'll do it. I'll tell them."
Lauren smiled. "I knew you would."
Gareth took a deep breath, then turned back to the microphone. "Can I have your attention, please?"
The crowd quieted down, their eyes fixed on her.
"I have some news," she began, her voice clear and steady. "This event has been more amazing than I ever could have imagined. To see so many of you, to feel your warmth and your love, it has been the greatest honor of my life."
The crowd cheered, their affection a tangible thing.
"And I wish I could stay here all night and meet every single one of you," she continued. "But I can't. We have to bring this event to a close soon."
A murmur of disappointment rippled through the crowd.
"But I promise you this," Gareth said, her voice rising with passion. "This is not the end. We will be back. We will have more events. We will do everything we can to ensure that everyone who wants to meet me gets the chance to do so."
She paused, then added with a cheeky grin, "Even if I have to stand here until my feet fall off!"
The crowd roared with laughter and applause, their disappointment forgotten, replaced by a renewed sense of hope and excitement.
"But for now," Gareth said, her smile softening, "I want to try and get through as many as possible, so we have to hurry up. Let's close the line for new people and get through everyone currently in line. We'll stay as late as it takes to do that."
She declared this with her voice ringing with determination.
The crowd erupted into thunderous applause, their admiration for her overflowing.
Lauren smiled, a sense of pride swelling in her chest. She had known that Gareth would find the right words, the right way to handle the situation.
Because, despite how young Gareth looked, she hadn't become a Knight of the Round Table due to her family connections, but due to her abilities.
Just because she might seem careless, she was by no means so. It just took a special kind of situation to bring her edge to bear.
-------
The day continued to wane, the sun beginning to paint the sky in hues of orange and pink. The crowd, though smaller now, was no less enthusiastic. Their energy was a palpable force, a testament to the enduring power of hope and the magnetic charm of the Sunshine Knight.
No matter how tired people were at this hour, the moment they stepped onto the small raised stage with Gareth, they were filled with energy, and they greeted her.
They told her their names and their reasons for being there, showed her their treasures, had her sign them, and took a photo with her.
It was a simple, yet profound, exchange.
A moment of connection between a legend and her people.
A reminder that, in the end, they were all in this together.
Gareth, for her part, never faltered. She remained a beacon of light, a wellspring of warmth and affection, her smile never wavering, her spirit never flagging.
She was, in every sense of the word, a knight.
As the last person in line, a young woman with a shy smile and a worn-out copy of "The Tales of the Round Table," stepped onto the stage, Gareth felt a sense of bittersweet satisfaction.
She had done it.
She had met every single person who had been in line when they made the announcement.
She had kept her promise.
"What's your name?" Gareth asked, her smile as bright as ever.
"Elara," the young woman replied, her voice barely a whisper.
"It's a beautiful name," Gareth said, taking the book from her. "A very old name. I have a friend with the same name, she is a fairy knight. You are a bit small for a knight, though, but I hear a good heart is more important than height."
Elara blushed. "I... I'm not a knight."
"Not yet," Gareth said, her eyes twinkling. "But who knows what the future holds?"
She opened the book to a blank page at the back, uncapped her pen, and wrote:
To Elara,
May your dreams be as grand as Camelot's towers, and your spirit as true as a knight's oath.
— Sir Gareth
She closed the book and handed it back to Elara, her smile gentle and reassuring.
"Thank you for coming, Elara," she said. "It means the world to me."
Elara, tears welling in her eyes, could only nod, clutching the book to her chest as if it were the most precious thing in the world.
As she walked away, Gareth turned to the crowd, a sense of finality in the air.
"Thank you, Bath," she said, her voice filled with emotion. "Thank you for your patience, your kindness, and your love. I will never forget this day. And I promise you, this is not goodbye. It is just... until we meet again."
She blew a kiss to the crowd, then turned and walked off the stage, her small frame disappearing behind the curtains, leaving behind a park full of happy, contented people, their hearts full of a warmth that would stay with them for a long, long time.
(End of chapter)
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