They arrived at the outskirts of what used to be the village of Astolat shortly before nightfall on their second day of travel. They had hoped to find shelter for the night and perhaps some food before making their way to the lake in the morning. They had no such luck, because there was no village anymore.
And much, much more disconcerting to behold, there was no Camelot. Gone were the turrets with their rich stained-glass, gone were the gleaming stone walls, the immense drawbridge. It was all rubble, and it looked as though it had been for some time.
"What could have done this?" Meriel said, her voice cracking in disbelief. "Arthur and the Knights...even the village is gone."
"We need to get back into the trees," Kai said, pulling her along. "We're too exposed."
Meriel allowed herself to be shuffled back into the forest. She was footsore and as tired as she had ever been. They'd hidden in a hollowed log the night before, and while it was safe enough, Meriel didn't get much sleep.
They continued on, keeping the road in sight as they moved in the direction of the lake. Once Meriel had stumbled for the second time, Kai called for a rest. He pulled her over toward a large, overgrown area at the foot of a large cliff. If they could manage to hack their way through, it might make adequate shelter for the night. It was getting too dark to see much of anything anymore.
Kai had just pulled a small dagger from his boot when Meriel pushed him aside. She pulled a cutlass from a sheath and with a flair he'd have never believed she slashed through the wall of overgrown trees and branches in no time.
"Rumpelstiltskin gave me this," She said. "Just in case."
"I didn't know you knew how to use a cutlass."
She gave him a cheeky grin and a shrug. "Pirate."
He gave a chuckle. "Of course. Silly of me to forget. And here all this time I thought I've been protecting you." He pushed the brush aside, gesturing her to go first, but when he heard her gasp, he pulled her back through the opening.
"What?"
"Look, Kai! It's somebody's house. Or at least, it used to be."
There was indeed some sort of small hut, half-dug into the hillside behind it. It was badly overgrown, but structurally still intact. After hacking away at some of the branches and vines, Kai put his weight against the door, and managed to push it open.
There was dust and dirt on everything, but the place was uninhabited and had clearly been so for a very long time.
"We don't dare light a fire," Kai said. "The chimney is likely full of birds' nests. But it's shelter and it's about as hidden as anything I've ever seen." He pulled the door shut behind him. "Let's look around - maybe we'll get lucky and find some food."
A search of the cupboards turned up nothing edible. This place had been abandoned for decades, at the very least. Any food that had been here had long since turned to dust. Meriel made her way over to a trunk in the corner, lifting the lid and pushing through the contents.
"Just a few rusted hunting knives," She said. "And some blankets. Those will be useful, at least." She pulled out a small wooden carving of a wolf, turning it over in her hands.
"There's a bed," Kai said. "The mattress is straw that's turned mostly to dust, but it doesn't seem to smell. Grab those blankets and let's get some sleep."
Meriel put the wolf back in the trunk, and grabbed the stack of blankets, carrying it over to the bed. She picked up the one on the top of the stack and started to shake it out in case it held spiders, but froze in shock when she realized what she was holding.
It wasn't white anymore, more like a dull shade of yellow-ish brown. The ribbons had long since frayed and were crumbling away. It had holes in it where something, likely moths had gotten to it. But the embroidery on the side was still clear enough.
Emma.
"This was my mother's!" She said excitedly. "Her baby blanket! My grandmother made this for her!" She hugged it close, almost as if it carried her mother still. "It's hers, Kai." She blinked hard, but the tears came anyway.
"Why would it have been here?" He asked, reaching out to touch it. "Who brought her here?"
Meriel looked back over her shoulder at the chest. "The wolf carving - I thought it looked familiar! Selene and Rom have the same toy." She glanced around slowly. "This is Graham's cottage. Graham must have taken my mother and hidden her here."
Kai reached out, putting his hands on her shoulders. "That's a useful clue. We'll know where to start looking when we get to where we're going."
"When we're going," She corrected. "My mother went with Graham." Meriel let out a huge sigh of relief. "She was alive. And protected."
"Now if we can just find your father, we can do our best to get them together." Kai added.
"Finding my father will be easy," Meriel was warming with excitement. "The Jolly Roger is recognized all over the realm."
Kai took the rest of the blankets, spreading them out over the tattered remains of the mattress. "These are pretty threadbare. They won't give much in the way of warmth," He said. "You can lay on top of them and I'll spread my cloak over you."
She glanced up at him questioningly. "Aren't you laying down with me?"
A muscle ticked in his jaw and he looked down at the floor. "I'd better keep watch by the door."
"Don't be ridiculous, Kai. You need to sleep, too. No one will find us here." She gestured at the room around her. "No one's found this place in years."
"You go ahead," He said. "I'm going to search the cottage first, see if there's anything we can use."
She gave him a troubled look, but didn't argue with him. Once he'd covered her with his cloak, he moved off to check the floorboards, just in case there was a cellar or some other storage beneath them. Half an hour later, he'd found nothing and Meriel was sound asleep.
He walked over to the bed, carefully sitting on the edge so as not to disturb her. He reached out, smoothing her hair off her face. She didn't stir.
She was exhausted, and with good reason. The poor girl had just had her entire world ripped from her, and he wondered again if he'd done her any kindness by not telling her this might happen. He'd even started to do so a half dozen times in her life, but he knew she'd go to her parents, who would seek help as any parent would do, and that information would eventually make it's way to Triton. He couldn't risk Triton showing up early, capturing her, imprisoning her. The talisman would prevent him from harming her or her parents directly, but it wouldn't stop him from harming anyone else to get to her.
And it wouldn't stop him from harming her if she didn't think she was being harmed. Triton had power as such that he could have impersonated anyone, taken any form, and used his power to manipulate her, turn her emotions and convince her that she wanted his attention. It wasn't like him to seduce - he enjoyed the power of hurting someone helpless too much - but he could and would do it if it were a means to an end he desired.
And when he finished turning the full force of his powers on her, she would be broken. Unrecognizable.
Kai's hands tightened into fists. Not Meriel. Not my Meriel.
The words echoed in his mind even as he knew it was foolish to think them. She wasn't his. Could never be his. But he wanted her all the same. Last night had been torture, sleeping together in the confines of that hollowed out log, feeling her pressed against him, cuddling into him, rubbing against him. He'd woken once in the night to find that he'd pulled her partially beneath him and he already had a hand between her thighs. She was sound asleep, but her body arched into him anyway. He'd crawled out and into the dirt and the cold night air until his head cleared, sleeping the rest of the night in front of the log.
He couldn't risk it again tonight. He slid down along the wall, near the door, setting his arms across the tops of his knees and laying his head down on them. Eventually, he slept.
And as always, he dreamed of her.
###
They arrived at the edge of the lake a few hours after sunrise, but really weren't sure how best to proceed. They had no boat at their disposal, and a glance around showed nothing that could be used for flotation nearby.
"I think we might have to swim out to where we can dive deep enough," Meriel said. She glanced up at him. "I'm guessing that's not a problem for you."
He gave her a look. "No."
She took a breath. "Let's get it over with, then." She started wading into the water, but only got to her knees before it began to shimmer before her. She stepped back, right into Kai, who put his arms around her to steady her. They both watched in awe as a glowing figure emerged from the water, standing before them.
"Kai," The Lady said, inclining her head.
"Nimue." He nodded back.
Meriel turned to look up at him. "You know each other?"
"Yes," Kai replied, but didn't elaborate further.
"All those within the water realm have connections that humans cannot fathom," The Lady said, a bit mysteriously. She smiled softly at Meriel. "I am glad that you came."
"Do you know what happened?" Meriel asked.
"Yes. Time is a fluid thing, with eddies and flows that cannot always be seen by mortals. Triton has done a terrible thing, and it will not be easily reversed."
Kai stepped forward, keeping an arm around Meriel's back. "According to Rumpelstiltskin, we need to get her parents to meet, and share true love's kiss."
"Yes," The Lady affirmed. "And then in your creation, Meriel, all will be returned. Including Camelot."
"What happened here?" Meriel asked. "I can't believe it's all gone."
"Cora and her forces came after Camelot, but they were making no headway against Arthur and his Knights. She ended up taking the heart of a giant, and along with an army of ogres they destroyed the castle and everything around it. With no heirs to challenge her, there was no one to rebuild." The Lady looked off into the distance. "Camelot is no more."
Meriel's hand went to her mouth. "Anton. Oh, no!" She stepped forward, deeper into the water. "We have to get back. Tell us what we need to do."
"Do you have the potion from Rumpelstiltskin?" The Lady inquired, stretching out a hand. Meriel reached into her pocket, pulling out the small bottle that Rumpelstiltskin gave her.
"You must pour the potion onto the water," The Lady instructed. "Then Kai must raise the water, making a portal. Once it has formed, you must join hands and Meriel must use her talisman to guide you through. But a word of caution." The Lady stared serenely at the both of them, her blue eyes holding something that looked an awful lot like pity.
"You must each pay a price for what you do here. Think carefully ere you choose."
"We are aware of the cost," Kai said. "And I ask you as I asked Rumpelstiltskin - can I go in her stead?"
Meriel turned to him, grabbing his arm. "You listen to me! We are doing this together! Do you understand me?"
"You don't know what this will cost you," Kai said warningly. "I am your protector. I cannot allow you to do this."
She closed her eyes, fighting to find the right words. "I know your obligation to me. And after all this time, you should know that nothing will keep me from this. Or have you forgotten all you know of me? All the years we've spent together?"
He brought his hand up to her face. "I haven't forgotten, Meriel. I just hoped I could talk you out of being yourself for a little while." He gave her a half-smile. "Just be careful with this. Do as The Lady instructs. Think first."
"I will," She whispered. "I promise."
"One more thing," The Lady said. "You can only go back only as far as the original point of what would have been your existence."
"I understand," Meriel said. "We're ready."
The Lady faded back with a gracious nod, and Meriel opened the vial, spreading the contents on the water, which immediately began to glow and shimmer. She stepped back, and Kai stepped forward, extending a hand and raising it up. The water immediately followed in an arc, swirling in the air just at water level, glowing like a flat, shimmering mirror. They could see themselves in it, but the images were distorted, twisting and fading.
Kai reached back, grasping Meriel's hand. The Lady's voice could be heard, but faintly.
"Think upon that which will pay a great debt. Then hold your talisman, and step through."
Pay a great debt...Meriel thought, and with a deep breath in, she closed her eyes, offering her payment. Then she gripped her talisman and together, they stepped through.
It was like falling from a tower, a sense of vertigo so extreme that her heart leapt with terror. Only the pressure of Kai's hand in hers kept her from trying to pull herself back. Just when she felt she was going to suffocate from the extreme other-ness she was feeling, her feet were again on the ground, knee-deep in the water that was gently lapping around her. The Lady was nowhere to be seen.
"Are you all right?"
Kai's voice came to her as if down a long tunnel, but she managed to nod. "Yes. You?"
"Yes." He looked around. "That was...unsettling."
"How do we know if we did it right?" Meriel asked.
"We need to get to a village. Check the date," Kai suggested. "And then we can begin our search."
"I wonder what my parents are like here?" Meriel mused. "Without ever having met the way they did."
Kai glanced around, then pulled her along, out of the water and toward the woods.
"I suppose we're going to find out."
###
The woman crept along the street, keeping to the shadows in the alleys until she could be sure the footman on the carriage was asleep. He'd been waiting outside the inn for nearly half an hour, and he'd started drinking almost immediately. If she moved fast, he'd never know what hit him.
She balanced herself on the rim of the wheel, glancing quickly down the street before bringing the rock down against the man's temple. He gave only the slightest groan before he slid off to the side, hitting the ground with an entirely too audible thud. She sucked in a breath, but no one had seen, or apparently heard.
She pulled his body back into the shadows along the side of the inn, stripping him of his coat and putting it on. Then she climbed up carefully into the driver's perch, pulling her hat low over her eyes and tucking her hair up inside it. She urged the horses forward at a reasonable pace - not fast enough to garner attention, but not slowly enough that she couldn't push them into a gallop if necessary.
She was nearing the outskirts of town when suddenly, the sliding panel between the seating compartment and the driver's perch slid open, and a man's voice startled her badly enough that she threw up an arm, knocking her hat off and allowing her long, blonde hair to tumble down.
"Impressive," The man said. "But you know, love, if you'd wanted my company for the evening, you could have just asked. I'd have driven us myself."
She glanced back wildly. "I just stole your carriage. Your life could be in danger."
He gave her lopsided grin that said he highly doubted that.
"What's your name, love?"
She gave a short laugh. "I'm not telling you my name."
"We're about to pass by the town watchman, who will surely arrest you, with or without a name provided." He pointed out, much to her chagrin. "The name's Jones. Killian Jones. But most people call me Hook." He raised his prosthetic.
"Captain Hook?"
"You've heard of me?" He stroked his beard. "Not surprising, really. Why don't you pull over and we can discuss your criminal tendencies over a drink at the next tavern?"
"I'm not having drinks with you," She looked at him like he was crazy. "You're a pirate."
"I might be a pirate, love, but you're definitely a carriage thief." He reached through the window, twirling a lock of her hair around his fingers. "We can discuss the best way to buy my silence, if you'd like. I'm an easily persuaded man."
"Hey, lay off!" She smacked at his hand and a moment later the horses shied and reared as she nearly ran into a horse and cart crossing at an intersection. By the time she got them under control, it was too late. The town watchman had heard the commotion and ridden up next to the carriage.
"Damn." She cursed under her breath.
Suddenly, the carriage door swung open, and Hook jumped down onto the street. He walked over to the watchmen, offering a slight bow.
"Apologies, mate. The wench thought she had what it takes to control a team of horses. I lost a tavern bet, and gave the lady her wish."
The town watchman looked unamused. "She could have hurt someone."
"I know," Hook said, shaking his head. "But you know how it is, mate." He glanced over at her. "Women."
The watchman nodded his head sagely. "Very well. It's a warning this time."
Hook levered himself up into the driver's perch, giving the woman an incredibly patronizing smile.
"I'll take over from here, darling. We don't want you causing anymore mayhem than you already have."
The watchman gave Hook a nod, then galloped off. She rounded on him.
"What was that all about?"
"Come on," Hook said. "We got lucky."
"Lucky?" Her brow knit in confusion before it slowly dawned on her. "I stole a stolen carriage?"
Hook gave her a cocky grin and a shrug. "Now how about that drink?"
She looked at him appraisingly. "I have something better in mind." She reached out, twining her fingers into his hair and smiling up at him as his mouth came down on hers. He dropped the reins, sliding his arms around her and parting her lips so that he could deepen the kiss. A moment later, she pushed him, hard and he was on his back in the street. With a quick snap of the reins, she was off.
"Wait!" He called out. "I didn't get your name!"
He reached down, dusting off his breeches. He turned back toward the nearest tavern, not really wanting to walk all the way back to the inn, even though Lady Monique would surely be put out that he wasn't waiting as requested. It was just as well. Her husband was starting to suspect and the last thing he wanted was that kind of drama. This evening had certainly taken a turn for the dramatic all by itself.
He gave a chuckle. Whoever she was, she had gumption.
He just wish he'd gotten her name.