Title: The Lost World Fourth Season Series
Disclaimer: Nope! Don't own them, nope! They're not mine, nope! They really belong to someone else, nope, I'm not making money with this (Although that wouldn't be a bad idea at all, but come again, who would by such a "junk"?") Let me see if I forgot something..oh yeah: NOPE!!!
Author's Note: Sorry for leaving hang. But what's promised is promised and I started writing this when I got home. (Well after reading the other people (Angel LeeAnn, for example) new chapters. Thank you for the reviews.
Angel LeeAnn your not the only that does not appreciate Finn character at all, actually I find the girl quite annoying and everything that she says makes me sick. (Whoever is reading this, it's just my opinion), but thank you for thinking that my character Finn is likeable.
Velma-Kelly-online you're not the first one to tell me that.Thank you so much for your review, you have no idea of what the words: "just as it was going to get even more interesting (even though I didn't thought that possible!)" meant to me.
The Chosen One, now who's being cruel? My poor fingers.
Summary: One of the explorers remembers something that he was supposed to forgot. M/R and N/V.
Memories
Spears came from everywhere.
Veronica was already in the end of the stairs with Malone right behind her.
"Come on in!" he shouted
"Ned!" Veronica called
"What?"
"Look!" The statue was already moving again, covering the stairs.
"Hurry!" Malone shouted again
The others hurried to them, but when they were about to go down the stairs Roxton was hit by a spear.
"Roxton" Challenger called out, visible worry in his eyes.
"They're leaving." Said Finn, "Challenger they're leaving."
Roxton looked up to Challenger and closed his eyes to support another hint of pain in his shoulder.
"Hold on old boy" said Challenger, "I've got to take it of" he pointed to the spear, "I need to make sure that it's not poisoned."
"Go on." Roxton muttered under his breath.
He felt Challenger removing the spear and looked to the other side, he didn't want his friends more worried about him, so he tried to hide the pain of Challenger's slow moving, he saw that the statue was covering the stairs again, and he also saw something else.
It was a man, with a long brown coat. "A druid" he thought.
The man started to turn around. Suddenly he felt a wave of dizziness over coming him and the last thing he saw was the man's unexpectedly familiar face.
....................................
"Ned? Are you alright?"
"Yeah, but I that the question is: are the others alright as well? I think I saw a spear hit Roxton."
"Yeah, I think I saw it too." She agreed. "Well we can't leave them there, but we also have to look for the map, besides we can't get out trough here."
"You're." A voice stopped him from finishing the sentence.
"This way, if you find the map, the other passage will open."
They looked at each other and started walking.
....................................
Finn was still looking at the jungle; somehow she did not believe that their attackers were really gone. She kept thinking that it was too weird that they simply left, without a reason. She heard Challenger's voice calling Roxton and looked to them. Roxton was obviously injured on his shoulder; there was an amount of blood on it.
"Do you think he'll make it?" she asked. She always saw Roxton as a symbol of what she wanted to become. He was nice, polite, generous, and yet adventurous and a great hunter.
"The wound is not serious, but the reason why he's still unconscious is beyond me." He answered deep in thought
Finn noted his troubled expression and putted a hand on his shoulder while she asked:
"What is it?"
"I'm not sure." he stood up and went to examine the spear. "Like I thought, the spear is filled with poison." Worry could be read on his expression. Finn thought that that look on his eyes made him look a lot older, showing his true age, instead of the scientist who she believe to have sometimes the younger spirit of all. She couldn't quite comprehend why the others didn't notice that Challenger was a very joyful and funny person to be with, she usually thought about it and always get to the conclusion that none of them got so close to him as she did.
"So what do we do?" she asked
"Happily I'm quite accustomed with this poison and I have the antidote."
"Why do have the feeling that there's a 'but' coming on?"
Challenger smiled at her reply and proceeds with his explanation:
"But we can't risk moving him; it may spread the poison even more."
"Veronica and Malone are inside the statue thing."
"I know Finn, that's why you're staying here and I'm going back treehouse to get the antidote."
"No. You can tell where it is, I'll go to treehouse and I'll get the antidote."
"No." Challenger started arguing.
"No complains Challenger, you're the one who can take care of Roxton for now."
Hearing the determined tone of her voice Challenger agreed:
"Alright. It's in the lab, search in the box under the table for a bottle with a label that says Arsenic antidote."
"Okay."
"Oh, and Finn? Be careful."
"Don't worry I'll be fine, just take care of Roxton, and make sure he'll be fine, once I get here with the antidote."
And with that she left.
....................................
At first he saw only darkness but after walking a few miles he saw a light and ran too it. As soon as his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he gasped.
"Veronica?"
"No Lord Roxton, I'm Abigail Layton, it is time for you to remember."
"Remember what?"
....................................
A ten-year young boy dressed in the most elegant and refined clothes runs trough his house. And was beginning to descend the stairs too go and have a look at the living room when he heard someone:
"Master John!" Called an old man, "Please come back! You're going to be death of me" he muttered under his breath
"Don't worry James I'm just going to see our visit." He explained
"Now young boy, you heard your mother, she said no interruptions."
"She always say that when that guy comes around, it is as if she and dad didn't want us to see him. Its being like this for nearly two weeks now." Came a voice from the other side of the room.
"Will! So are you with me on this?" asked the young boy with a pleading look.
William smiled to his young brother. It was that look that always took them out of trouble with his mother.
"Of course I am!" he looked to older man, "Come on James, tell us, who is he?"
"I don't know anything, and even if I did you would be the last persons to know about it, what would you mother say if she knew that you two are disobeying her strict orders?"
"But you're not going to tell her are you?" asked Will
"Besides rules were made to be disobeyed." Added John and William nodded.
James gave them a killing look, and they run in opposite directions as if they were running from the Devil.
He took is old pony Mr. Robinson and started to ride. He always enjoyed his walks, it give him time to think of his life. To think about his parents and brother, to think about the future that lied ahead.
He rode without stopping until he was near the standing stones, he loved there, somehow it made him feel safe and at the same time loved, it also gave the uncharacteristic feeling of belong. Belong to somewhere, like he never felt before. Sometimes he used to stay hours there thinking, looking at the magnificent druid temple that lied ahead of the standing stones, and sometimes he even imagined what would it be like in the future, he wondered if he would go there still, if his brother would be a good Lord, and if he would ever find a place where he felt like he belonged, just as in there. He had been busy lately, truing to figure out who was the stranger that everyday came to his house and talked to his father or mother, and he hadn't come there for almost two weeks.
He made a movement to Mr. Robinson slow down, and took a look at the picture, there they were, the same as always. At least that was what he thought until he spotted a little young girl, she wear a blue dress, and was running around the standing stones laughing and singing, happiness was visible on her face. He thought about the first time that he ever came there, when he was four. He had had pretty much the same right reaction, although he at the time didn't sing anything.
He dismounted her started walking to the place where she was, but when he got there he only felt the sweet aroma of roses, but the young girl was nowhere to be seen.
....................................
"This way!"
Veronica was leading them trough the temple labyrinth over an hour now, with Malone close behind her. They thoughts wondered over what was happening outside with Roxton and the others, but they knew they couldn't stop now.
"Veronica how can you be so much sure of which way to go?"
"I don't know, I'm just simply sure of it. Now be careful we don't want to step on booby trap or something."
"Yeah." As he said this he stepped on a rock and his hand looked for security to gain his balance on a rock and the ground opened and he fell.
"Ned!!" Veronica screamed in horror. "Ned are you alright?" she asked trying to see her beloved.
"Yeah, maybe you wanna get down, I think we found it." He answered.
....................................
Finn ran wildly trough the jungle as if her own life was in danger. "Don't stop. Don't stop. The big guy is counting on you." Was all she kept thinking.
............................................................................ .................................................................
Challenger was doing the best he could. He had already cleaned up the wound, and made several changes at the bandages, but he couldn't do much more without the antidote.
He watched Roxton trough his 'sleep'. He seemed so quiet and peaceful. He hadn't seen him like this, since Marguerite disappearance. Roxton had somehow distance himself over the group, he spent most of his days hunting, and when he was not doing it, he was always on the balcony or in Marguerite's room, the only time that he entered his own room was to go to sleep, but even that Challenger suspected that sometimes he did it on Marguerite's bed.
He had never seen such a desolate man, he already knew that he had feelings for Marguerite but never could he have imagined that those feelings were this strong.
Roxton started moaning on his sleep.
"Easy Roxton, hold on, Finn is on her way."
"William" he whispered.
....................................
"William!!" he shouted
"What?" he shouted back.
John spotted him, and ran.
"Ah there you are. Do you want to come with me to the standing stones?" he offered
"You know I can't. Mother made me promised that today I was going to stay at home to study." He answered with a not very happy look on his face.
"But promises were also made to be broken." he tried once more
"I'm sorry young lad, but not today."
"Well that just stinks!!!" he cursed out load
"John watch your language!!" warned his mother who had just came in and heard what he said.
"Sorry mum. It's just that."
James entrance made him stop in the middle of his sentence.
"My lady, Mr Garlum is here." He announced
"Then let him in, tell him that I would meet him in a second." James left with these words. Then she lead her attention to her children. "Now William, you'll go study like you promise, I don't want to hear that you're not a good student anymore, one day you're going to be the Lord of the Roxton Estate, you have a lot of responsibilities, you must study hard, to become one day what your father is, and to give continuity to our ancestors title of respectable Lords."
Roxton chuckled, he already knew her speech by heart, and God knew he felt pity for Will, because he heard that everyday.
"What's so funny John Richard?" his mother asked with a defiant tone
"Nothing, nothing. Uh.I've got go, I...uh.I'm going for a walk."
And with that he left.
Everyday since he saw her, he rode to there with the hope of seeing her again. He didn't know quite yet why, but her appearance made him somehow fascinated and intrigued like never before.
He needed to know more, much more. He wanted to laugh with her, and hear her voice, that he thought that he must be very sweet and gentle, proper of a girl of her age.
He rode as fast as he could, until he reached his goal, but what had been a disappointment the other days, today was a joy. He saw again, now she was wearing a white dress and had on her hands a long red scarf.
She was not running, this time, she was looking over the stones at the strange sings that adorned them.
Suddenly her red scarf escaped her hands and she turned around and started running after it. John that noticed that the scarf was coming in his direction, made a quick run to try to catch him as well.
They run, each of them completely oblivious that they were running to each other. The scarf fell on the ground still and each of them reached a hand to grab it. Their hands touched for the very first time, and they looked into each other's eyes.
He then noticed that her eyes were amazing, stormy gray eyes were locked up onto his own green ones.
"Hi" he said shyly.
"Hi." She answered timidly as well
"I believe that this belongs to you, my lady." He picked the scarf and putted it around her neck.
"Yes, I'm very thankful this scarf means a lot to me." She answered
"Why?" he asked and when he saw her eyes still locked on him he decided to brake the ice." I'm sorry, I rude of me, I didn't even present myself, I'm John Richard Roxton. Pleased to meet you. Now would please give me the honour to know with who am I speaking my lady?" he asked, "Or perhaps I should treat you as Your Highness?" he teased.
"Maybe." She answered. "I'm Marguerite, pleased to meet as well, Sir John." She said teasingly
He chuckled. Strangely he liked her already, he had never met anyone that would understand his tease and answered back, he was young but being the brother of a future Lord, gave him the ability to look at the other girls and see that whenever they got close to Will was only thinking of his future title and fortune. With him was pretty much the same, although he was only ten and he didn't have a title to offer, his mother friends kept pushing their daughter to him, but every time he tried to talk with one of them, he founded them so boring and annoying that he quickly gave it up.
"You haven't answered my question. Why does it mean so much to you?"
"Because."
"Because why?"
"Because it was given to me by my best friend."
"Who?"
"Richard."
"Do you like him?" he asked with a little bit a jealous
"I think you're being very improper don't you think? Asking me all of these questions about my life." She said with an indignant look on her face. But when she saw the confusion of her interrogator she burst out laughing, then more serious" Yes I like him, because he's like the father that I never had. Now it's my turn to make questions."
"Okay. Bring it on!!" he said cheerfully
"How old are you?"
"Ten. And you?"
"How rude of you! You should know, you should ask a lady's age." She said
"Oh.sorry, I meant no disrespect your Highness, but I would really like to know, for how long this world had been graced with your presence." As he said this he bowed mockingly.
She chuckled as he did this, and started to bow the same way that he did.
"Well then this world has been graced with my presence since I was born."
They looked at each other for moments and after a while they burst out laughing.
....................................
She descended the stairs that lead to the lab, and started looking for the antidote.
"Bottle in the box under the table. Arsenic antidote." She repeated to herself.
"Come on Finn, now it is time for you to test your reading skills." She thought
"Got it!" she yelled after a while.
And took off in a dead run, to go to the others.
....................................
Veronica descended trough the hole, lit the torches and looked around.
They were in a large room, the walls were adorned with paintings, and there were some flowers in the jars all over the room. She could almost swear that the ground was made of gold. "What would Marguerite say?" she thought. The thought of Marguerite made her sad. The heiress had become more like a sister to her over the last tree years, and the thought of her lost, made her want to cry all over again. She never felt so pity for someone as she felt for Roxton, she knew he loved her, and somehow she believed that Marguerite returned his feelings. "Must be hard seeing me and Ned." She thought every day.
She walked to the altar and noticed tree symbols over the box where lied the map. One was the Trion, the other a snake, and the other was the most intriguing: two S's, in Opposite directions, with a spot in between.
"Odd." Murmured Ned
"What?" she asked
"I've seen that symbol before." He told her
"Really? Where?"
"Don't know, a dream I think. It doesn't matter take the map and lets go, I'm worried about Roxton."
"Yeah."
She took the map and they started climbing.
"Where to next? We can't go back to where we came." Said Malone
"That way." She exclaimed
....................................
"Come on, hold on Roxton!" said Challenger as he changed the bandages once again. "You have to hold on, Finn must be arriving any second."
"Marguerite" he murmured.
....................................
He ran trough the fields of his estate. It had been a month since he met her, and they were already close friends. He loved being with her, she mad him laugh and simply loved talking to her, it was like she always knew the answers to his questions, and always had something to say.
He spotted her near the Druid temple, her dark curls were loose and that gave her the look of an angel.
"Hey" he said while kissing her cheek.
She smiled.
"Hi."
"What are up to?"
"What do you mean by what am I up to?" she asked with a smile on her lips, he knew her to well.
"You're to quiet, and when you're like that, it means that you're up to something, that usually get us into trouble." He answered
"I'm not up to anything, oh, and by the way, you don't use to complain when you're having fun." She added.
"Yeah, but last time when you decided to play a trick on my brother, and put a spider on his desk, I was the one who stayed grounded."
"Yeah, yeah, you already told me that at least a thousand times! Now admit you liked it!"
"I.I.okay you win! I loved it!"
They laugh.
"Let's go for a walk." He said
They walked to the Druid temple. They used to spend our there, talking, playing, planning new things to get themselves in troubles.
They had started playing to catch when a group of kids, appeared.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Mister John chicken." Said a boy that seemed the leader of the group. "What yah doing here chicken head?" he asked as he pulled him to the ground.
"Stop it!" Marguerite yelled
The sky started filling itself with dark clouds.
Lady Roxton and Mr. Garlum were already running to the area.
"Oh look, it's the witch. So the chicken head, needs you to defend him?" he said as he and his group laughed.
"Stop it Jack." Warned John
"Oh so now you're the brave hero?" the group started to laugh even more
Suddenly a thunder rushed the skies and they heard a voice chanting.
"Stop it!" Marguerite said again
They look at her, and saw that her loosen hair was now floating, but there was no wind.
Her eyes looked like she wanted to kill them, and her expression was one of deep anger.
"Leave!" she yelled
The group of kids ran off, they were scared, and the only thing that they kept thinking was that she really was a witch.
She calmed down and soon her hair and eyes were back to normal.
"How did you do that?" John asked
"I don't know I." she started
"John!" Lady Roxton called
....................................
Veronica and Ned reached the end of the way.
"What now?" he asked
"Look!" she pointed to the same symbols again.
She took off the Trion of her neck, she had taken it from the statue before she started to descend the stairs, and fits it on the symbol hole.
Immediately the wall opens and they see sun light.
"Come on!" she said as she took off the Trion fro the wall
They walked a few feet, and realized that they were on the side of the temple; they saw Challenger and Finn with Roxton and hurried to them.
"What happened?" Malone asked
"Roxton was hit by a poisoned spear, Challenger just gave him the antidote." Finn explained
"I hope it's not to late." He added
....................................
John was listening the conversation on the other room:
"I must take her away from here, she's not safe anymore." He said
"I know, John will also study to London, it's for the best, after all it is my duty to protect him, I cannot risk." He heard his mother say
"Risk what?" he thought
"You're right! His father would be disappointed if he founded out that his only son was in danger."
"Only son, what's he talking about? What about Will?" he thought
"It's not my fault; the elders were the foolish ones. Trying to separate Morrighan from her guardian. They know as well as we know that that is impossible, they were meant to be together, they are like flesh and bones, they cannot be separated like that." She said with in an angry tone.
"I know, but remember that this is for their protection. It is for the best, they can't stay together until the times comes, otherwise they would be an easy target for their enemies." He explained
"What does the protector have to say about this?"
"The protector is dying, soon Abigail will take her place, until then we can't risk having them together Elizabeth, and you know it."
"How long will the protector stands?"
"A few more years. No more than that. The time is coming, Little Veronica will have a huge burden on her shoulders."
"Yes. Where will you take Morrighan?"
"To Paris, she always said she would love to go there." He said sadly
"You sound preoccupied."
"She will have a complicated life if I take there. But it's the only place that I can think about where she would be far from our enemies and where she would have the most refined education." He said
"What about her parents?" Lady Roxton inquired
"They're heartbroken. First they had to abandon their child, and after that the chance to see her every day is taken away from them as well."
"What do you mean, see? She does not know that they are her parents?"
"They thought it was better that way. But Richard says that once she and the others get to Avalon he will tell her right away. Did you gave them the potion? He asked
"Yes, tomorrow they won't remember each other, and this never happened."
"Very well I must go now."
John hurried to leave, he didn't understand everything but he heard the last part.
"Forget how could I forget everything that has just happened?"
....................................
Roxton stirred.
It was night and they had been camping near the temple.
"Challenger I think is beginning to wake up." Finn said
....................................
He looked over to Abigail's face.
"You remember now, you may be revolted with the things you saw, after all a part of your life was taken from you but I have only one thing to tell you: help my daughter to reach Avalon, and I promise me that you won't tell nothing of what you saw to your friends. When it's time, they'll know, and you'll know the whole story. I'm also aware that you have many questions but believe me that will all be answered once you all reach Avalon." She said
"Wait! Was that the Marguerite that we all know? Answer me! I need to know if she's alive. Tell me!" He demanded.
"Yes it was her. Whether she's alive or not, you'll find out that soon."
....................................
He opened his eyes.
"Hey Roxton!"
"Finn!"
"You gave us quite a fright."
....................................
"So now we go to Avalon?" asked Finn
"Yes." Veronica answered
"And once we get there, what will happen?"
"I don't know Ned, but the only way to find that, is going there."
The dawn had broken it off, and they were walking lead by the map. Roxton was still a bit weak but he insisted to go as soon as possible, they didn't understand the sudden urgency of his actions, but they all agreed.
Abigail had been right. He was revolted, revolted that such imported memories were taken away from him, and revolted that he didn't knew all the answers to his questions.
"Then Avalon, here we go!" said Challenger.
To be continued
Author's Note: I'm so sorry, for posting this chapter so late. But the thing is that in my country, Portugal, is really hot, and I really mean, HOT!!! And I'm too lazy to think of anything. Sorry once again. Sorry for any grammar mistakes, missing words or anything like it, but the heat is melting my brain.
Disclaimer: Nope! Don't own them, nope! They're not mine, nope! They really belong to someone else, nope, I'm not making money with this (Although that wouldn't be a bad idea at all, but come again, who would by such a "junk"?") Let me see if I forgot something..oh yeah: NOPE!!!
Author's Note: Sorry for leaving hang. But what's promised is promised and I started writing this when I got home. (Well after reading the other people (Angel LeeAnn, for example) new chapters. Thank you for the reviews.
Angel LeeAnn your not the only that does not appreciate Finn character at all, actually I find the girl quite annoying and everything that she says makes me sick. (Whoever is reading this, it's just my opinion), but thank you for thinking that my character Finn is likeable.
Velma-Kelly-online you're not the first one to tell me that.Thank you so much for your review, you have no idea of what the words: "just as it was going to get even more interesting (even though I didn't thought that possible!)" meant to me.
The Chosen One, now who's being cruel? My poor fingers.
Summary: One of the explorers remembers something that he was supposed to forgot. M/R and N/V.
Memories
Spears came from everywhere.
Veronica was already in the end of the stairs with Malone right behind her.
"Come on in!" he shouted
"Ned!" Veronica called
"What?"
"Look!" The statue was already moving again, covering the stairs.
"Hurry!" Malone shouted again
The others hurried to them, but when they were about to go down the stairs Roxton was hit by a spear.
"Roxton" Challenger called out, visible worry in his eyes.
"They're leaving." Said Finn, "Challenger they're leaving."
Roxton looked up to Challenger and closed his eyes to support another hint of pain in his shoulder.
"Hold on old boy" said Challenger, "I've got to take it of" he pointed to the spear, "I need to make sure that it's not poisoned."
"Go on." Roxton muttered under his breath.
He felt Challenger removing the spear and looked to the other side, he didn't want his friends more worried about him, so he tried to hide the pain of Challenger's slow moving, he saw that the statue was covering the stairs again, and he also saw something else.
It was a man, with a long brown coat. "A druid" he thought.
The man started to turn around. Suddenly he felt a wave of dizziness over coming him and the last thing he saw was the man's unexpectedly familiar face.
....................................
"Ned? Are you alright?"
"Yeah, but I that the question is: are the others alright as well? I think I saw a spear hit Roxton."
"Yeah, I think I saw it too." She agreed. "Well we can't leave them there, but we also have to look for the map, besides we can't get out trough here."
"You're." A voice stopped him from finishing the sentence.
"This way, if you find the map, the other passage will open."
They looked at each other and started walking.
....................................
Finn was still looking at the jungle; somehow she did not believe that their attackers were really gone. She kept thinking that it was too weird that they simply left, without a reason. She heard Challenger's voice calling Roxton and looked to them. Roxton was obviously injured on his shoulder; there was an amount of blood on it.
"Do you think he'll make it?" she asked. She always saw Roxton as a symbol of what she wanted to become. He was nice, polite, generous, and yet adventurous and a great hunter.
"The wound is not serious, but the reason why he's still unconscious is beyond me." He answered deep in thought
Finn noted his troubled expression and putted a hand on his shoulder while she asked:
"What is it?"
"I'm not sure." he stood up and went to examine the spear. "Like I thought, the spear is filled with poison." Worry could be read on his expression. Finn thought that that look on his eyes made him look a lot older, showing his true age, instead of the scientist who she believe to have sometimes the younger spirit of all. She couldn't quite comprehend why the others didn't notice that Challenger was a very joyful and funny person to be with, she usually thought about it and always get to the conclusion that none of them got so close to him as she did.
"So what do we do?" she asked
"Happily I'm quite accustomed with this poison and I have the antidote."
"Why do have the feeling that there's a 'but' coming on?"
Challenger smiled at her reply and proceeds with his explanation:
"But we can't risk moving him; it may spread the poison even more."
"Veronica and Malone are inside the statue thing."
"I know Finn, that's why you're staying here and I'm going back treehouse to get the antidote."
"No. You can tell where it is, I'll go to treehouse and I'll get the antidote."
"No." Challenger started arguing.
"No complains Challenger, you're the one who can take care of Roxton for now."
Hearing the determined tone of her voice Challenger agreed:
"Alright. It's in the lab, search in the box under the table for a bottle with a label that says Arsenic antidote."
"Okay."
"Oh, and Finn? Be careful."
"Don't worry I'll be fine, just take care of Roxton, and make sure he'll be fine, once I get here with the antidote."
And with that she left.
....................................
At first he saw only darkness but after walking a few miles he saw a light and ran too it. As soon as his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he gasped.
"Veronica?"
"No Lord Roxton, I'm Abigail Layton, it is time for you to remember."
"Remember what?"
....................................
A ten-year young boy dressed in the most elegant and refined clothes runs trough his house. And was beginning to descend the stairs too go and have a look at the living room when he heard someone:
"Master John!" Called an old man, "Please come back! You're going to be death of me" he muttered under his breath
"Don't worry James I'm just going to see our visit." He explained
"Now young boy, you heard your mother, she said no interruptions."
"She always say that when that guy comes around, it is as if she and dad didn't want us to see him. Its being like this for nearly two weeks now." Came a voice from the other side of the room.
"Will! So are you with me on this?" asked the young boy with a pleading look.
William smiled to his young brother. It was that look that always took them out of trouble with his mother.
"Of course I am!" he looked to older man, "Come on James, tell us, who is he?"
"I don't know anything, and even if I did you would be the last persons to know about it, what would you mother say if she knew that you two are disobeying her strict orders?"
"But you're not going to tell her are you?" asked Will
"Besides rules were made to be disobeyed." Added John and William nodded.
James gave them a killing look, and they run in opposite directions as if they were running from the Devil.
He took is old pony Mr. Robinson and started to ride. He always enjoyed his walks, it give him time to think of his life. To think about his parents and brother, to think about the future that lied ahead.
He rode without stopping until he was near the standing stones, he loved there, somehow it made him feel safe and at the same time loved, it also gave the uncharacteristic feeling of belong. Belong to somewhere, like he never felt before. Sometimes he used to stay hours there thinking, looking at the magnificent druid temple that lied ahead of the standing stones, and sometimes he even imagined what would it be like in the future, he wondered if he would go there still, if his brother would be a good Lord, and if he would ever find a place where he felt like he belonged, just as in there. He had been busy lately, truing to figure out who was the stranger that everyday came to his house and talked to his father or mother, and he hadn't come there for almost two weeks.
He made a movement to Mr. Robinson slow down, and took a look at the picture, there they were, the same as always. At least that was what he thought until he spotted a little young girl, she wear a blue dress, and was running around the standing stones laughing and singing, happiness was visible on her face. He thought about the first time that he ever came there, when he was four. He had had pretty much the same right reaction, although he at the time didn't sing anything.
He dismounted her started walking to the place where she was, but when he got there he only felt the sweet aroma of roses, but the young girl was nowhere to be seen.
....................................
"This way!"
Veronica was leading them trough the temple labyrinth over an hour now, with Malone close behind her. They thoughts wondered over what was happening outside with Roxton and the others, but they knew they couldn't stop now.
"Veronica how can you be so much sure of which way to go?"
"I don't know, I'm just simply sure of it. Now be careful we don't want to step on booby trap or something."
"Yeah." As he said this he stepped on a rock and his hand looked for security to gain his balance on a rock and the ground opened and he fell.
"Ned!!" Veronica screamed in horror. "Ned are you alright?" she asked trying to see her beloved.
"Yeah, maybe you wanna get down, I think we found it." He answered.
....................................
Finn ran wildly trough the jungle as if her own life was in danger. "Don't stop. Don't stop. The big guy is counting on you." Was all she kept thinking.
............................................................................ .................................................................
Challenger was doing the best he could. He had already cleaned up the wound, and made several changes at the bandages, but he couldn't do much more without the antidote.
He watched Roxton trough his 'sleep'. He seemed so quiet and peaceful. He hadn't seen him like this, since Marguerite disappearance. Roxton had somehow distance himself over the group, he spent most of his days hunting, and when he was not doing it, he was always on the balcony or in Marguerite's room, the only time that he entered his own room was to go to sleep, but even that Challenger suspected that sometimes he did it on Marguerite's bed.
He had never seen such a desolate man, he already knew that he had feelings for Marguerite but never could he have imagined that those feelings were this strong.
Roxton started moaning on his sleep.
"Easy Roxton, hold on, Finn is on her way."
"William" he whispered.
....................................
"William!!" he shouted
"What?" he shouted back.
John spotted him, and ran.
"Ah there you are. Do you want to come with me to the standing stones?" he offered
"You know I can't. Mother made me promised that today I was going to stay at home to study." He answered with a not very happy look on his face.
"But promises were also made to be broken." he tried once more
"I'm sorry young lad, but not today."
"Well that just stinks!!!" he cursed out load
"John watch your language!!" warned his mother who had just came in and heard what he said.
"Sorry mum. It's just that."
James entrance made him stop in the middle of his sentence.
"My lady, Mr Garlum is here." He announced
"Then let him in, tell him that I would meet him in a second." James left with these words. Then she lead her attention to her children. "Now William, you'll go study like you promise, I don't want to hear that you're not a good student anymore, one day you're going to be the Lord of the Roxton Estate, you have a lot of responsibilities, you must study hard, to become one day what your father is, and to give continuity to our ancestors title of respectable Lords."
Roxton chuckled, he already knew her speech by heart, and God knew he felt pity for Will, because he heard that everyday.
"What's so funny John Richard?" his mother asked with a defiant tone
"Nothing, nothing. Uh.I've got go, I...uh.I'm going for a walk."
And with that he left.
Everyday since he saw her, he rode to there with the hope of seeing her again. He didn't know quite yet why, but her appearance made him somehow fascinated and intrigued like never before.
He needed to know more, much more. He wanted to laugh with her, and hear her voice, that he thought that he must be very sweet and gentle, proper of a girl of her age.
He rode as fast as he could, until he reached his goal, but what had been a disappointment the other days, today was a joy. He saw again, now she was wearing a white dress and had on her hands a long red scarf.
She was not running, this time, she was looking over the stones at the strange sings that adorned them.
Suddenly her red scarf escaped her hands and she turned around and started running after it. John that noticed that the scarf was coming in his direction, made a quick run to try to catch him as well.
They run, each of them completely oblivious that they were running to each other. The scarf fell on the ground still and each of them reached a hand to grab it. Their hands touched for the very first time, and they looked into each other's eyes.
He then noticed that her eyes were amazing, stormy gray eyes were locked up onto his own green ones.
"Hi" he said shyly.
"Hi." She answered timidly as well
"I believe that this belongs to you, my lady." He picked the scarf and putted it around her neck.
"Yes, I'm very thankful this scarf means a lot to me." She answered
"Why?" he asked and when he saw her eyes still locked on him he decided to brake the ice." I'm sorry, I rude of me, I didn't even present myself, I'm John Richard Roxton. Pleased to meet you. Now would please give me the honour to know with who am I speaking my lady?" he asked, "Or perhaps I should treat you as Your Highness?" he teased.
"Maybe." She answered. "I'm Marguerite, pleased to meet as well, Sir John." She said teasingly
He chuckled. Strangely he liked her already, he had never met anyone that would understand his tease and answered back, he was young but being the brother of a future Lord, gave him the ability to look at the other girls and see that whenever they got close to Will was only thinking of his future title and fortune. With him was pretty much the same, although he was only ten and he didn't have a title to offer, his mother friends kept pushing their daughter to him, but every time he tried to talk with one of them, he founded them so boring and annoying that he quickly gave it up.
"You haven't answered my question. Why does it mean so much to you?"
"Because."
"Because why?"
"Because it was given to me by my best friend."
"Who?"
"Richard."
"Do you like him?" he asked with a little bit a jealous
"I think you're being very improper don't you think? Asking me all of these questions about my life." She said with an indignant look on her face. But when she saw the confusion of her interrogator she burst out laughing, then more serious" Yes I like him, because he's like the father that I never had. Now it's my turn to make questions."
"Okay. Bring it on!!" he said cheerfully
"How old are you?"
"Ten. And you?"
"How rude of you! You should know, you should ask a lady's age." She said
"Oh.sorry, I meant no disrespect your Highness, but I would really like to know, for how long this world had been graced with your presence." As he said this he bowed mockingly.
She chuckled as he did this, and started to bow the same way that he did.
"Well then this world has been graced with my presence since I was born."
They looked at each other for moments and after a while they burst out laughing.
....................................
She descended the stairs that lead to the lab, and started looking for the antidote.
"Bottle in the box under the table. Arsenic antidote." She repeated to herself.
"Come on Finn, now it is time for you to test your reading skills." She thought
"Got it!" she yelled after a while.
And took off in a dead run, to go to the others.
....................................
Veronica descended trough the hole, lit the torches and looked around.
They were in a large room, the walls were adorned with paintings, and there were some flowers in the jars all over the room. She could almost swear that the ground was made of gold. "What would Marguerite say?" she thought. The thought of Marguerite made her sad. The heiress had become more like a sister to her over the last tree years, and the thought of her lost, made her want to cry all over again. She never felt so pity for someone as she felt for Roxton, she knew he loved her, and somehow she believed that Marguerite returned his feelings. "Must be hard seeing me and Ned." She thought every day.
She walked to the altar and noticed tree symbols over the box where lied the map. One was the Trion, the other a snake, and the other was the most intriguing: two S's, in Opposite directions, with a spot in between.
"Odd." Murmured Ned
"What?" she asked
"I've seen that symbol before." He told her
"Really? Where?"
"Don't know, a dream I think. It doesn't matter take the map and lets go, I'm worried about Roxton."
"Yeah."
She took the map and they started climbing.
"Where to next? We can't go back to where we came." Said Malone
"That way." She exclaimed
....................................
"Come on, hold on Roxton!" said Challenger as he changed the bandages once again. "You have to hold on, Finn must be arriving any second."
"Marguerite" he murmured.
....................................
He ran trough the fields of his estate. It had been a month since he met her, and they were already close friends. He loved being with her, she mad him laugh and simply loved talking to her, it was like she always knew the answers to his questions, and always had something to say.
He spotted her near the Druid temple, her dark curls were loose and that gave her the look of an angel.
"Hey" he said while kissing her cheek.
She smiled.
"Hi."
"What are up to?"
"What do you mean by what am I up to?" she asked with a smile on her lips, he knew her to well.
"You're to quiet, and when you're like that, it means that you're up to something, that usually get us into trouble." He answered
"I'm not up to anything, oh, and by the way, you don't use to complain when you're having fun." She added.
"Yeah, but last time when you decided to play a trick on my brother, and put a spider on his desk, I was the one who stayed grounded."
"Yeah, yeah, you already told me that at least a thousand times! Now admit you liked it!"
"I.I.okay you win! I loved it!"
They laugh.
"Let's go for a walk." He said
They walked to the Druid temple. They used to spend our there, talking, playing, planning new things to get themselves in troubles.
They had started playing to catch when a group of kids, appeared.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Mister John chicken." Said a boy that seemed the leader of the group. "What yah doing here chicken head?" he asked as he pulled him to the ground.
"Stop it!" Marguerite yelled
The sky started filling itself with dark clouds.
Lady Roxton and Mr. Garlum were already running to the area.
"Oh look, it's the witch. So the chicken head, needs you to defend him?" he said as he and his group laughed.
"Stop it Jack." Warned John
"Oh so now you're the brave hero?" the group started to laugh even more
Suddenly a thunder rushed the skies and they heard a voice chanting.
"Stop it!" Marguerite said again
They look at her, and saw that her loosen hair was now floating, but there was no wind.
Her eyes looked like she wanted to kill them, and her expression was one of deep anger.
"Leave!" she yelled
The group of kids ran off, they were scared, and the only thing that they kept thinking was that she really was a witch.
She calmed down and soon her hair and eyes were back to normal.
"How did you do that?" John asked
"I don't know I." she started
"John!" Lady Roxton called
....................................
Veronica and Ned reached the end of the way.
"What now?" he asked
"Look!" she pointed to the same symbols again.
She took off the Trion of her neck, she had taken it from the statue before she started to descend the stairs, and fits it on the symbol hole.
Immediately the wall opens and they see sun light.
"Come on!" she said as she took off the Trion fro the wall
They walked a few feet, and realized that they were on the side of the temple; they saw Challenger and Finn with Roxton and hurried to them.
"What happened?" Malone asked
"Roxton was hit by a poisoned spear, Challenger just gave him the antidote." Finn explained
"I hope it's not to late." He added
....................................
John was listening the conversation on the other room:
"I must take her away from here, she's not safe anymore." He said
"I know, John will also study to London, it's for the best, after all it is my duty to protect him, I cannot risk." He heard his mother say
"Risk what?" he thought
"You're right! His father would be disappointed if he founded out that his only son was in danger."
"Only son, what's he talking about? What about Will?" he thought
"It's not my fault; the elders were the foolish ones. Trying to separate Morrighan from her guardian. They know as well as we know that that is impossible, they were meant to be together, they are like flesh and bones, they cannot be separated like that." She said with in an angry tone.
"I know, but remember that this is for their protection. It is for the best, they can't stay together until the times comes, otherwise they would be an easy target for their enemies." He explained
"What does the protector have to say about this?"
"The protector is dying, soon Abigail will take her place, until then we can't risk having them together Elizabeth, and you know it."
"How long will the protector stands?"
"A few more years. No more than that. The time is coming, Little Veronica will have a huge burden on her shoulders."
"Yes. Where will you take Morrighan?"
"To Paris, she always said she would love to go there." He said sadly
"You sound preoccupied."
"She will have a complicated life if I take there. But it's the only place that I can think about where she would be far from our enemies and where she would have the most refined education." He said
"What about her parents?" Lady Roxton inquired
"They're heartbroken. First they had to abandon their child, and after that the chance to see her every day is taken away from them as well."
"What do you mean, see? She does not know that they are her parents?"
"They thought it was better that way. But Richard says that once she and the others get to Avalon he will tell her right away. Did you gave them the potion? He asked
"Yes, tomorrow they won't remember each other, and this never happened."
"Very well I must go now."
John hurried to leave, he didn't understand everything but he heard the last part.
"Forget how could I forget everything that has just happened?"
....................................
Roxton stirred.
It was night and they had been camping near the temple.
"Challenger I think is beginning to wake up." Finn said
....................................
He looked over to Abigail's face.
"You remember now, you may be revolted with the things you saw, after all a part of your life was taken from you but I have only one thing to tell you: help my daughter to reach Avalon, and I promise me that you won't tell nothing of what you saw to your friends. When it's time, they'll know, and you'll know the whole story. I'm also aware that you have many questions but believe me that will all be answered once you all reach Avalon." She said
"Wait! Was that the Marguerite that we all know? Answer me! I need to know if she's alive. Tell me!" He demanded.
"Yes it was her. Whether she's alive or not, you'll find out that soon."
....................................
He opened his eyes.
"Hey Roxton!"
"Finn!"
"You gave us quite a fright."
....................................
"So now we go to Avalon?" asked Finn
"Yes." Veronica answered
"And once we get there, what will happen?"
"I don't know Ned, but the only way to find that, is going there."
The dawn had broken it off, and they were walking lead by the map. Roxton was still a bit weak but he insisted to go as soon as possible, they didn't understand the sudden urgency of his actions, but they all agreed.
Abigail had been right. He was revolted, revolted that such imported memories were taken away from him, and revolted that he didn't knew all the answers to his questions.
"Then Avalon, here we go!" said Challenger.
To be continued
Author's Note: I'm so sorry, for posting this chapter so late. But the thing is that in my country, Portugal, is really hot, and I really mean, HOT!!! And I'm too lazy to think of anything. Sorry once again. Sorry for any grammar mistakes, missing words or anything like it, but the heat is melting my brain.