Goliath didn't know what to say. He knew that the Princess would come but didn't think it would be this soon. As he watched her look around the room, he thought that it would be a good idea to have the other Gargoyles present to see the Princess and Guardian. To say the least, Angela would be excited to see her adopted parents again. It had been almost a year since Angela last saw her family on Avalon.
"You just missed Elisa." Goliath noticed that she was starring out the windows. "We'll take this one step at a time," he said. He softly got up off the sofa and walked towards, his guests. "Those lights you see are called city lights. Human kind has evolved so much that they have been able to make lights appear without torches."
With another sweep of the room, the Princess quickly noticed that the furniture she remembered were not the same but looked similar. The ones her eyes kept looking at were the soft looking benches. "What are they called?" she asked pointing to the sofa.
Goliath turned at see what she was pointing at.
"It's what is used in this world. Homes do not have benches for seats anymore. They use soft cushions, which have legs and a back on them. It's called a sofa or most of time, called a couch. But sofa is the proper term," Tatiana answered. "It's too difficult to explain what they are but they are soft and comfortable to sit on. One actually can fall asleep sitting on them, if they're really soft."
"Come, have a seat," Goliath offered Tom and the Princess. He gestured his arms to allowing them to move over to the sofa. Tom, for the moment, stayed standing, while his love sat.
The Princess's eyes lit up at the comfort the cushions gave. "They are soft. Come sit Tom." Tom nodded and sat beside his 'wife'.
When the two 10th-century humans were sitting, Goliath moved over to the desk that sat near a wall. The desk was not from her century, but looked the same as it did the last she saw her desk. She guessed that after a thousand years of sitting, the wood rotted. She watched him as he picked up a device that was unrecognizable, and began to speak into it.
"Owen, can you gather the Gargoyles into the library," Goliath said into it and then paused for a moment. "Yes she's here and I would like them to see her."
Goliath placed the device back on the desk and turned to the Princess and Tom. "The Gargoyles will be here in a few minutes. You've caught us just in time. In an hour it will be sunrise."
"Goliath," Tatiana said. She had continued to stand where she had appeared. "When your visit is through send them through the portal. I brought them here so they may see you."
"Thank you, Tatiana. This is most helpful. I just hope it doesn't become a problem."
"Do not worry about their trying to adjust they will adjust on their own time." Tatiana turned and walked through the portal.
"Where are we?" Tom asked.
"We are above the clouds," Goliath said in simple terms. He remembered back when his clan was first cast in the sleep spell. 'The term of the spell will break when the castle reaches above the clouds'.
"So that is how you were released from the spell," the Princess said. "My old home, still stands. I'm presuming that the furniture is gone. I see the desk my father used to sit at is a little different."
"Most of the furniture has been destroyed through the ages. Xanatos did have new furniture made in the same antique look as before. This is the only room that resembles best of what you remember. I don't want to frighten you as we were when we woke to this new world."
"That is considerate," Katherine said.
"Goliath, you wanted to see us," Brooklyn said as he and the rest of the clan walked into the room.
When they were all in, they froze. Angela was the first to get over her shock. "Guardian! Princess!"
"Angela!" Katherine said with a smile, standing up, as did Tom.
Angela walked over to the Princess and hugged her, then hugged Tom. She turned to her friends. "How did you get here?"
"Queen Tatiana and Lord Oberon has give us access to this world by a portal. We may visit you or you us anytime," Tom answered.
Angela turned to the other Gargoyles. "Guys this is Princess Katherine and the Guardian, Tom."
"Lass, it has been a long time," Hudson said. "Much time has passed since our last contact."
"Longer than you think," the Princess said. "Goliath told us that you have taken names since you awakened."
"I'm Brooklyn," he said, getting over the shock of finally recognizing the Princess. "This is Broadway, Lexington and Hudson. You already know Bronx."
"Yes. Him and Bouticca get along well," Angela said. "How are my rookery brothers and sisters?"
"They are doing fine," Tom said.
"How have you been doing?" Goliath asked.
"Since your last visit with us, it has been quiet, expect when the Gathering happened but other than that, we've be living quite peacefully again."
"That's nice to hear. Angela," Goliath turned to his daughter. "If it's not too difficult, did you want to travel to Avalon?"
"Would I?" she gasped. "I'd love too. But perhaps tonight isn't a good night. I'd rather go when there's more time."
"I agree," the Guardian answered. "Where you have less than an hour left before sunrise and on Avalon only minutes will have gone by and it's still daylight there."
"Goliath," Brooklyn spoke. "Perhaps the next time they come, we start showing them small things."
"No," Katherine blurted. Everyone turned to her. "I wish to see this world like you did. You went from living 1000 years ago to living in a total different life. I do not want to start out small and work my way up. King Author is traveling somewhere and he must have embraced the new world with pride."
"Yes," Hudson said. "About a year ago, he came here to New York and told us of what had happened on Avalon. And that Goliath was on a quest."
"I've already been through some of this city and it's really a strange place," Tom said. "If it weren't for Elisa, I don't know what I would have done."
"Yes," Goliath agreed. "When Elisa had told me that you were being held in jail, she said that you knew me by name. We had to get you out and discover how you knew my name."
"I take it that this was the night that we went on patrol and you wanted to stay behind?" Brooklyn asked.
"Yes. We were not expecting to be on a long journey but Avalon's waters took us where we were needed. And finally Manhattan was in danger and we were released from its quest."
"What did you have to do here?" Princess Katherine asked.
"Once we arrived here," Angela answered. "We quickly learned Lord Oberon was trying to take Goliath's enemy's new born child."
"Doesn't Lord Oberon forbid interference in human affairs?" Tom asked.
"Xanatos's new born is Queen Tatiana's grandson," Goliath explained. "So naturally Oberon bent the rules, allowing the child to be taken but we stopped him and with the help of Puck, Oberon agreed to allow the child to stay with his parents."
"And now Xanatos is no longer our enemy," Brooklyn said. "A little while after Goliath got back, we were discovered and Xanatos gave us his word that he'd keep us safe and he has."
"This city knows about you now?"
"Yes, Princess," Angela answered. "In fact the leader of the city has given us citizenship so we no longer need to work in secret."
"So it's like it was when I didn't trust you."
"Exactly. Gargoyles and humans are living once again side-by-side. The only difference this time is some of the humans are acting against the rest of the city, which are called anti-gargoyles."
"Anti-Gargoyles?"
"That's a group of humans who do not like Gargoyles and wish to see us destroyed."
"Excuse me," Owen announced as he walked in. "Elisa has just called to inform you that she made it home."
"Good." Goliath looked at Hudson. "I wanted to make sure she got home safely."
With a known smile, Hudson said. "Sure lad."
"Princess Katherine, Tom. I'd like you to meet Owen Burnett, Xanatos's right hand man," Lexington said.
Owen bowed. "It's a pleasure to finally meet the lady who once owned this castle. Mr. Xanatos will also like to meet you."
"Another time, perhaps. I'm sure he's in bed," Princess Katherine said. "I will be making visits and I'm sure the Gargoyle Eggs will as well."
"Gargoyle Eggs?"
"Is what they have always referred to us," Angela answered Broadway's question.
Goliath looked out the windows and saw day begin to break. "Well we must go."
Princess Katherine looked out as well. "I'll join you. Before I venture back I want to see this castle."
"Perhaps it would be better if you…" Goliath started.
"No. I want to see this world as you saw it. I don't want to hide."
"Of course, your highness." Goliath bowed. "I'm sure you will still know your way around."
"Perhaps," Owen interrupted. "I could show our guests back to this room afterwards to make sure they do not get lost."
"I'd like that," Katherine agreed.
The small group left the library and made their way to the parapets of the tallest tower. As they walked quickly through the castle, Princess Katherine kept looking around. She saw the different tapestries from the centuries and modern day furniture everywhere. When they reached Goliath's perch, the other Gargoyles, glided away to their spot. Princess Katherine was shocked to see what had happened to her castle but what shocked her more was seeing the New York from the tower view.
"This city is large," she said when she found her voice.
"Perhaps someday we'll give you a tour."
Goliath quickly turned just in time to get in position as the onslaught of the sunrise grazed his skin, turning it to stone.
"I've forgotten how scary Goliath can look when he turns to stone," she said when the sun completely grazed the castle walls.
"If you would follow me, I'll escort you the quickest way back to the library so you may be home before nightfall."
"How do you know about Avalon?" Tom asked as he turned to Owen.
"It's no secret anymore," Owen turned. "I am from Avalon."
"If you are from Avalon but are still living here then that means you're Puck," Katherine gasped. "You were banished here for disobeying Oberon's summons."
"So you've heard of me."
"Owen." Xanatos called as he emerged from the tower. "I've been looking for…" He stopped in mid sentence as he came across an older woman with an old fashion blue gown and a middle-aged man wearing armor.
Owen turned to his boss. "Mr. Xanatos may I introduce Princess Katherine and Tom of Wyvern."
For a quick moment, Xanatos was taken a back. "The former owner of Castle Wyvern?"
"This castle," Katherine said. "I have been told that were the one who took my castle to beyond the clouds and woke the surviving Gargoyles. But then you became their enemy. But now a treaty has been crossed."
"Yes, well…that is all in the past," Xanatos quickly, for the first time, felt intimated by the woman. But why should he? "They saved my son from Oberon. The best way to repay them is to surrender. And from protecting them, they have decided to protect my family in return."
"If I am to understood this correctly. You actually met my father and mother on the day of their wedding, through the Phoenix Gate."
"How do you know about that?"
"Queen Tatiana in recent weeks has been updating us of the events that have come to pass. Including how you ended up obtaining my father's castle. The outside of this castle has been well persevered." Katherine looked out over the tower to see the grounds. "The only difference is, it looks at it once did before the raid of Castle Wyvern."
Xanatos clenched his fists at the name Tatiana. "That is one woman that I am not to keen on hearing about."
"I suppose not as she was dishonest to you. But like you said, 'that is all in the past'. We all have done things we regret and have no way to change the past. What is done is done." Katherine lowered her head. "I wish I had trusted the Gargoyles sooner and not considered them as savage beasts. From my arrogance, they were all destroyed except a select few and their unborn eggs."
Tom placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We should get back before nightfall."
"Aye," she said. She turned away from the tower and entered the stairwell.
"If you don't mind," Xanatos started when they began to walk down a hallway. "I would sometime like to hear about the life of the middle Ages."
"I'm sure you would," Katherine stated. "I know I'm glad they are over. Those were hard times and I thought I'd never be free of it. In my mind I'm still living it, but yet much time has passed."
"I take it then that until you arrived on Avalon, times were quite hard on you?"
"Too hard, I was almost forced into a marriage by a man who murdered my Uncle, King Kenneth. But the night before I was to wed, we fled. A dear friend opened the gateway to Avalon but could not take the Grimnorum Achinorum with him. Tom's mother and a young woman who witnessed my Uncle's death took the book back to protect it from the evil man."
"Before purchasing this castle I came across a young woman and in her possession was the Grimnorum Achinorum. She said her and another woman have been living in America for awhile before coming to me."
"A woman came to you?" Princess Katherine stopped in the middle of the hallway. "Who was it?"
For the moment, Tom was a little confused was his 'wife' stopped so suddenly.
"She said her name was Finella."
"Finella!" Katherine gasped. She turned to Tom. "That means your mother is still alive."
"What?" he jumped. "How can that be?"
"When they last departed, they were within Avalon waters and you know yourself, Avalon sends someone where they need to be. That would mean Avalon not only can send a person to another body of land but also through time as well. Avalon must have sent them here so the book would be protected from everyone."
"Fascinating," Xanatos added in. He smirked at this new information. "Perhaps maybe you should talk to Goliath about the Grimnorum."
"No, we cannot do that. When I came here to seek Goliath's help, the book was already out of his hands. It was stolen from Goliath a few weeks prior and was used against us but now the book has been destroyed."
"We will need to ask Goliath about how we could reach Finella and Mary." Katherine turned continuing her journey through the ancient walls of Castle Wyvern.
Without too much effort, she found her way to the library without getting lost. When they reached the library, she was a little surprised that she was able to find her way back to the room, considering it had been years since she last set foot in the castle and that was when she was gathering her personal belongings to begin the travel of her new life.
"You know, I could talk to Detective Maza, as she is…"
"I know who she is. She is Goliath's soon to be wife. When you see her, tell her I am happy for the both of them. I did Goliath a great wrong, a wrong that will never be repaid but from that, he learned how to put the past behind and continue again."
"She is quite the woman," Xanatos complimented.
"What do I call you?" she asked.
"Well most people call me Xanatos, but my name is David. I am also referred to as Mr. Xanatos."
"Mr. is that a form of respect?"
"Just like it's respectful to call you 'highness'."
Katherine nodded. "Well good day to you Mr. Xanatos. You will be hearing from me from time to time."
"I look forward to the visits. It's nice to be able to meet the person who last owned this castle."
"You have taken care of it. I'm not sure I like the new additions but it's been 1000 years since I last set foot in this castle. In a legal system, I have no claim to this castle at all."
"Who has been teaching you about this world?"
"Queen Tatiana and Goliath when he was traveling through Avalon, trying to get back here."
"But I take it, it mostly came from Tatiana." The name of his mother-in-law gave a slight chill.
"That is correct," she said.
"My love," Tom announced. "We better get going, or we are going to be late in watching our eggs awaken."
Katherine turned and walked to the mirror. She quickly stepped through, followed by Tom. When the two were gone, Xanatos turned to Owen.
"Too bad, others wouldn't be able to travel through. It would have been nice to see this mystical island for myself."
"Lord Oberon always has his reasons. I believe it's to protect the island. The least amount of humans to travel through, the better. He probably doesn't completely trust you either."
"The feeling is mutual," Xanatos glared. "He tried to take my son without any regards to human laws. He bends or breaks his rules at will."
"That is a trait by Lord Oberon that one gets use to. Mind you there are always ways to throw his rules back in his face and of course Queen Tatiana now has a big influence over him as well."