Ned had been up since dawn thinking about Veronica, wanting to be with her. But, he knew how important it was to have time with her mother. So, he had risen, dressed and passed the time by writing in his journal. Before he had gone on his journey, he had sworn that he would start being a man of action and that he would save writing for when he was old. He finally realized that had been foolish. He didn't have to sacrifice writing for action. He could still document adventures, only now, some of them would be his own. And the adventure that he was on now was the most exciting of his life....he could feel it. He could feel that the mystery surrounding this lost world was about to be unveiled...that all of the secrets and enigmas that had haunted them since they arrived would finally be understood. And what made the adventure even better, even more exciting, was that he was going through all of it with Veronica, the love of his life, along with three of the best friends he had ever known. After all they had been through together, he trusted Challenger, Roxton, and Marguerite with his life. And though he hadn't known her long, Finn added another element of excitement to the adventure. After all, what quest would be complete without a feisty girl from a strange future world?
After a few hours, Ned had decided that Veronica and her mother were probably done with their meal, and went to investigate. He found her alone, sitting in the gazebo with her back towards him. He approached her and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. Veronica looked over her shoulder and smiled. Ned leaned down and kissed her. "Good morning," he said.
"Good morning," Veronica answered. Both felt the heat that had suddenly rushed to their faces, and wondered how long it would be before the shyness wore off.
"Want to go for a walk?" Ned asked. "I want to hear all about your time with your mother."
"I'd like that," Veronica replied. They began wandering around the grounds, holding hands and talking. Ned was intrigued when Veronica mentioned the strange look on her mother's face at the mention of Summerlee.
"So, do you think that Summerlee has something to do with this quest?" Ned asked.
"I don't know," Veronica said. "But I hope so. I want to believe he's alive. I miss him so much." Ned squeezed her hand. He knew that for Veronica, Summerlee's arrival on the Plateau was a bit like having her father back. They had shared a love of art and flowers. Veronica loved his gentle demeanor and missed their conversations.
They stopped walking, each thinking about the lost member of their family. Veronica turned toward Ned, and he brushed a hand against her cheek. As Veronica looked into his eyes, she was amazed at how much they could say to each other without using words. Ned was about to lean in for a kiss when...
"Hey guys!" Finn yelled from a few yards away. She picked up her pace and ran over to the couple.
Veronica pushed the disappointment out of her face and turned to smile at Finn. "Good morning, Finn. Have you seen any of the others this morning?"
Finn giggled. "What?" Veronica asked.
"Well, I did see Roxton this morning."
"Okay, am I missing something here?" Ned asked. "Why is that so funny?"
"Because he was coming out of Marguerite's room in his robe. He didn't see me though."
Ned and Veronica exchanged an amused sideways glance, but Veronica maintained her composure. "Finn, you really shouldn't be spying on Roxton and Marguerite. What they do is none of our business."
"Hey, I wasn't spying. It's not my fault that he waited that long to leave her room, and I just happened to be leaving at the same time. Besides, Vee, you can't tell me that you're not the least bit curious about those two."
"Well I know better than to risk Marguerite's wrath by talking about what they've been up to. If I were you, I wouldn't mention this again. Anyway, what are you doing out here?"
"I was exploring the grounds. I was on the top of that hill over there and I spotted a cottage, so I thought I'd check it out. That's when I saw you two."
"A cottage over here? The Avatar homes are all in the other direction," Ned said.
"I know," said Finn. "That's why I wanted to check it out."
"Ok, well, we'll go with you," Veronica told her.
The three set out for the cottage, and didn't get very far when they spotted the hunter and the heiress leaning against a tree, engaged in what appeared to be a very passionate embrace. Ned cleared his throat and turned away, Veronica turned red, and Finn giggled until Veronica elbowed her. "Quiet!" Veronica whispered.
"What? They're bound to see us anyway."
"Not necessarily," Ned said. "Let's back up a bit, and make our entrance a little noisier. That will give them time to regain their composure, and they'll never know we saw them."
"Sounds like a plan," said Veronica.
"I don't understand what the big deal is," Finn said as they retraced their steps. "They obviously don't care what anyone thinks or sees, so why should we act like we don't know what's going on."
"It's not like they were out in the open, Finn. They probably didn't expect any of us to be around this side of the grounds."
"Besides," Ned added, "they haven't had much time to themselves since we started out on our journey. And who knows what we'll encounter—they're just taking advantage of the time that they have, and there's nothing wrong with that." Veronica turned to look at Ned, pondering what he said. But she knew she couldn't question him about it with Finn there.
"Ok, I think this is far enough," Ned said. The three then proceeded forward, speaking loudly about the palace and the grounds and how beautiful everything was. When they reached the tree line again, Marguerite and Roxton were standing five feet apart, seemingly engaged in casual conversation.
"Hey, what are you two doing here?" Veronica asked, playing dumb.
"We were just taking a walk before lunch," Roxton answered. "Looks like you had the same idea."
"Finn spotted a cottage out this way," Ned said. "We came to investigate."
"We'll join you then," said Roxton.
"Does anyone know where Challenger is?" Marguerite asked.
"Probably checking out the insect life of Avalon," Finn quipped.
The group approached a clearing, where they saw a cottage with a white picket fence, and extraordinary gardens that seemed to go on for miles. Just as they came to the gate of the fence, Shonto stepped out in front of them, seeming to come from out of nowhere. "Pardon the intrusion," he said, "but you should start back to the palace. It is almost time for your meeting with the Protector."
"Of course," Veronica responded, "I didn't realize how late it was."
The group turned around and headed back to the Palace. It didn't escape Roxton's attention that Shonto did not follow them. He didn't think it was a coincidence that they were intercepted before they saw what or who was inside the cottage. But, he didn't say anything because he was afraid that Veronica would think he was implying that her mother was lying to them or hiding something. And, while in his mind that was a possibility, he would never make an accusation without proof. He knew how much Veronica's mother meant to her, so he decided to give Abby the benefit of the doubt.
[A/N: This part is all Abby talking. The next chapter will be a narrative of everyone's reactions as they listen]
An hour later, lunch was over, and Abby was ready to explain everything. Veronica, Finn, and the four explorers were seated in a meeting room at a large round table. "What I am about to tell you may be difficult to understand, even in light of everything that you have already discovered and experienced on this Plateau. I know you'll have many questions along the way. But, I'm asking you to have faith in me, and listen carefully to what I say. I will answer everything." Everyone looked thoughtfully at Abby and nodded.
"Now, during lunch, I asked all of you what you know about Arthurian legend, and you told me all of your theories about Avalon. I'm about to tell you the truth about Avalon. You were right about a lot of things, and I will help you understand how you fit into all of it. We'll start with the women of Avalon....Igraine's daughters...Arthur's sisters. Elaine, Morgause, and Morgaine. And, yes, Marguerite, they form the Triple Goddess. They kept the balance in Avalon. When Arthur died, his body was sent on a fiery funeral pyre through the water to Avalon. Back then, Avalon was located in England, around the Salisbury Plains. Avalon is transcendent—it only needs a place of great energy to exist. The Salisbury Plains is such a place, as is evidenced by Stonehenge. The prophecy was that Arthur would reign again when it is his time. That time is now. Ever since he died, the descendents of the women of Avalon have kept the balance...they have been the Protectors of Avalon. A few centuries ago, Avalon made its move from Salisbury to this Plateau. England was becoming too risky—the energy in Salisbury was not as strong as it once was, presumably because of the growing population and advances in technology. Avalon could have been compromised. So, the Protector at the time used her power to move Avalon to this Plateau, which was the place of greatest energy. However, the movement of Avalon had a side effect. It acted like a magnet, attracting all different types of energy to this place to co- exist. That caused a shift in the balance—one that is not easily adjusted. Part of the problem is also negative energy in your world as well. The Great War did much damage to the balance, as much of the negative energy it created gravitated here. A few weeks ago, the balance was almost lost. But Veronica invoked the power of the Goddess by using the Protectors' symbol—the Trion. That has temporarily restored the balance. However, it cannot last forever. If the balance is not restored now, the Plateau will slowly start to deteriorate, and the future Protectors will have to struggle to keep it from falling apart. I do not know how long they would be able to hold it together. Only Arthur can restore the balance. It is his time to reign again. Only this time, he will not reign in Camelot. He will reign in Avalon.
"This brings me to your part in this. As I stated, the Protectors are descendants from the line of Arthur's sisters. Veronica and I are no exception to this. That is why Veronica was able to invoke the power of the Triple Goddess. It is in her blood—part of her heritage. Veronica, you represent the present time. You, like Morgause, are the mother aspect of the Triple Goddess. Finn, you are a child of the future...a future descendant of Arthur. Technically, you do not exist in this time, but by a miracle, you are here. That means that you take Elaine's place as the maiden. As for you, Marguerite, I should tell you that Morgaine was the most powerful of Arthur's sisters. She has been reincarnated many times through the years. Marguerite, the body of the Druid priestess in the cave was not you...not exactly. It was Morgaine in one of her previous lives. Each of her incarnates has one similar trait—a birthmark. Marguerite, you have that birthmark. You are Morgaine reincarnated. And whether you realize it or not, you are the most powerful of any of her previous lives. You represent the past, and are therefore the crone in the Triple Goddess. This has been your destiny—all of you. The prophecy said that we would know when it was Arthur's time again when Morgaine's life force and the Protectors' blood line met up with the Child of Hope. Finn and Marguerite have transcended time, while Veronica has maintained stability.
"As for the men, none of you are part of Arthur's bloodline. You are destined for this quest because you each embody an important trait—traits that were also embodied by people who were important in Arthur's life. Professor Challenger, you were chosen based on your intelligence. You truly are the greatest mind of your time, just as the magician, Merlin, was the greatest mind of his time.
"Roxton, you were chosen because you are pure of heart, just as Sir Galahad was pure of heart. Galahad was the knight who retrieved the Grail for Arthur—he could only do so because he was pure of heart—he would do anything for God and country. You embody that kind of loyalty, that purity of heart, Roxton. You would have given your life in exchange for your brother's if you had the chance.
"Ned, you were chosen because of your courage, just as Sir Lancelot was courageous. Lancelot had faults, but his bravery made him one of the most celebrated knights ever to sit at the round table. Until recently, you didn't realize your bravery, but it has always been there. You proved yourself in the Great War. Though you were just a correspondent, when you were put in a dangerous situation, you did not run from it. You accepted the dangers in order to deliver important information to the British.
"Now, to explain the timing. Even after all of you were brought together, you still needed time to grow. Veronica, you needed to learn to trust these people. You had been on your own for too long. You had to learn to work together with others, instead of in solitude. Marguerite, you needed time to learn the art of selflessness. Morgaine has always been a very powerful woman, able to depend only on herself. You needed to overcome that and soften your heart towards others—learn to act with feeling and not just on your natural, self-serving instinct that is a centuries-old part of your character. Finn, you needed to be found, and once you came here, you needed to adjust to this world—to overcome the horrors that you experienced in your own time. Challenger, you needed time to learn to accept that science is not the be-all, end-all. That there are some things out there that cannot be explained or fixed with science—that there is magic in the world. Roxton, you needed time to overcome your guilt, and to realize that you deserve happiness. Malone, you needed time to realize your inner courage. Overcoming your downfalls have made you all stronger. And you will need that strength for your quest.
"I can finally come to the point and tell you the quest. You are to find and bring back the Holy Grail. As you may know, the Grail was used at the Last Supper, and then again to collect the blood and sweat of Christ. It was in the possession of Joseph of Arimathea. The Grail was believed to have been a cup, but many speculated that it might be other things, among them, a crown—one that covers the entire head, and would therefore be able to hold liquid. Those speculators were in fact correct. The Grail is a crown...one that will be worn by the one who will become King Arthur.
"This will not be an easy task, but without the Grail, Arthur cannot be restored. Arthur spent many years searching for the Grail. He did not know why he was so drawn to it. The truth is he did not need it in that lifetime. He needs it now. When Arthur's body was sent to Avalon, the women of Avalon performed a ritual with the Grail. They sent his spirit into it. Whoever finds the Grail and wears it will wield Arthur's power. But, there is only one who is destined for this. Many of Mordred's line, the evil side of Arthur's line, have tried to acquire the Grail, including Vordred and Mordren. If they would have succeeded, they would destroy the world by abusing Arthur's power. The women knew that Mordred and his line would look for the Grail, so they sent it into hiding, with many obstacles that could only be overcome by those in the prophecy. However, that does not stop Mordred's descendants from trying. And even after all of the efforts that have been taken, they may still be able to succeed. You will need to make sure that the Grail does not fall into the wrong hands.
"This is the last piece of the puzzle. The person who is destined to take Arthur's place, the person who is meant to wear the Grail, is here in Avalon. He is living in a cottage on the other side of the grounds, among beautiful gardens. He came to us in much the same way that Arthur came to the women centuries ago. He arrived on a wooden raft, floating down the river. He had gone over a waterfall, but unlike Arthur, he was alive, though barely. The Avatars administered medicine and nursed him back to health. For many months, he was in and out—struggling between this world and the next. He has been here for a little over two years now, and is completely healthy again. The man who is destined to reign over Avalon is Arthur Summerlee."
[A/N: ok, so you probably saw that one coming a mile away, but I'm going to cliff-hang it nonetheless. As I said, the next chapter will be reactions, both during and after that big long speech. Also, within the next four chapters, look for two old friends to return. You already know about Summerlee....the second is a surprise. ]
After a few hours, Ned had decided that Veronica and her mother were probably done with their meal, and went to investigate. He found her alone, sitting in the gazebo with her back towards him. He approached her and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. Veronica looked over her shoulder and smiled. Ned leaned down and kissed her. "Good morning," he said.
"Good morning," Veronica answered. Both felt the heat that had suddenly rushed to their faces, and wondered how long it would be before the shyness wore off.
"Want to go for a walk?" Ned asked. "I want to hear all about your time with your mother."
"I'd like that," Veronica replied. They began wandering around the grounds, holding hands and talking. Ned was intrigued when Veronica mentioned the strange look on her mother's face at the mention of Summerlee.
"So, do you think that Summerlee has something to do with this quest?" Ned asked.
"I don't know," Veronica said. "But I hope so. I want to believe he's alive. I miss him so much." Ned squeezed her hand. He knew that for Veronica, Summerlee's arrival on the Plateau was a bit like having her father back. They had shared a love of art and flowers. Veronica loved his gentle demeanor and missed their conversations.
They stopped walking, each thinking about the lost member of their family. Veronica turned toward Ned, and he brushed a hand against her cheek. As Veronica looked into his eyes, she was amazed at how much they could say to each other without using words. Ned was about to lean in for a kiss when...
"Hey guys!" Finn yelled from a few yards away. She picked up her pace and ran over to the couple.
Veronica pushed the disappointment out of her face and turned to smile at Finn. "Good morning, Finn. Have you seen any of the others this morning?"
Finn giggled. "What?" Veronica asked.
"Well, I did see Roxton this morning."
"Okay, am I missing something here?" Ned asked. "Why is that so funny?"
"Because he was coming out of Marguerite's room in his robe. He didn't see me though."
Ned and Veronica exchanged an amused sideways glance, but Veronica maintained her composure. "Finn, you really shouldn't be spying on Roxton and Marguerite. What they do is none of our business."
"Hey, I wasn't spying. It's not my fault that he waited that long to leave her room, and I just happened to be leaving at the same time. Besides, Vee, you can't tell me that you're not the least bit curious about those two."
"Well I know better than to risk Marguerite's wrath by talking about what they've been up to. If I were you, I wouldn't mention this again. Anyway, what are you doing out here?"
"I was exploring the grounds. I was on the top of that hill over there and I spotted a cottage, so I thought I'd check it out. That's when I saw you two."
"A cottage over here? The Avatar homes are all in the other direction," Ned said.
"I know," said Finn. "That's why I wanted to check it out."
"Ok, well, we'll go with you," Veronica told her.
The three set out for the cottage, and didn't get very far when they spotted the hunter and the heiress leaning against a tree, engaged in what appeared to be a very passionate embrace. Ned cleared his throat and turned away, Veronica turned red, and Finn giggled until Veronica elbowed her. "Quiet!" Veronica whispered.
"What? They're bound to see us anyway."
"Not necessarily," Ned said. "Let's back up a bit, and make our entrance a little noisier. That will give them time to regain their composure, and they'll never know we saw them."
"Sounds like a plan," said Veronica.
"I don't understand what the big deal is," Finn said as they retraced their steps. "They obviously don't care what anyone thinks or sees, so why should we act like we don't know what's going on."
"It's not like they were out in the open, Finn. They probably didn't expect any of us to be around this side of the grounds."
"Besides," Ned added, "they haven't had much time to themselves since we started out on our journey. And who knows what we'll encounter—they're just taking advantage of the time that they have, and there's nothing wrong with that." Veronica turned to look at Ned, pondering what he said. But she knew she couldn't question him about it with Finn there.
"Ok, I think this is far enough," Ned said. The three then proceeded forward, speaking loudly about the palace and the grounds and how beautiful everything was. When they reached the tree line again, Marguerite and Roxton were standing five feet apart, seemingly engaged in casual conversation.
"Hey, what are you two doing here?" Veronica asked, playing dumb.
"We were just taking a walk before lunch," Roxton answered. "Looks like you had the same idea."
"Finn spotted a cottage out this way," Ned said. "We came to investigate."
"We'll join you then," said Roxton.
"Does anyone know where Challenger is?" Marguerite asked.
"Probably checking out the insect life of Avalon," Finn quipped.
The group approached a clearing, where they saw a cottage with a white picket fence, and extraordinary gardens that seemed to go on for miles. Just as they came to the gate of the fence, Shonto stepped out in front of them, seeming to come from out of nowhere. "Pardon the intrusion," he said, "but you should start back to the palace. It is almost time for your meeting with the Protector."
"Of course," Veronica responded, "I didn't realize how late it was."
The group turned around and headed back to the Palace. It didn't escape Roxton's attention that Shonto did not follow them. He didn't think it was a coincidence that they were intercepted before they saw what or who was inside the cottage. But, he didn't say anything because he was afraid that Veronica would think he was implying that her mother was lying to them or hiding something. And, while in his mind that was a possibility, he would never make an accusation without proof. He knew how much Veronica's mother meant to her, so he decided to give Abby the benefit of the doubt.
[A/N: This part is all Abby talking. The next chapter will be a narrative of everyone's reactions as they listen]
An hour later, lunch was over, and Abby was ready to explain everything. Veronica, Finn, and the four explorers were seated in a meeting room at a large round table. "What I am about to tell you may be difficult to understand, even in light of everything that you have already discovered and experienced on this Plateau. I know you'll have many questions along the way. But, I'm asking you to have faith in me, and listen carefully to what I say. I will answer everything." Everyone looked thoughtfully at Abby and nodded.
"Now, during lunch, I asked all of you what you know about Arthurian legend, and you told me all of your theories about Avalon. I'm about to tell you the truth about Avalon. You were right about a lot of things, and I will help you understand how you fit into all of it. We'll start with the women of Avalon....Igraine's daughters...Arthur's sisters. Elaine, Morgause, and Morgaine. And, yes, Marguerite, they form the Triple Goddess. They kept the balance in Avalon. When Arthur died, his body was sent on a fiery funeral pyre through the water to Avalon. Back then, Avalon was located in England, around the Salisbury Plains. Avalon is transcendent—it only needs a place of great energy to exist. The Salisbury Plains is such a place, as is evidenced by Stonehenge. The prophecy was that Arthur would reign again when it is his time. That time is now. Ever since he died, the descendents of the women of Avalon have kept the balance...they have been the Protectors of Avalon. A few centuries ago, Avalon made its move from Salisbury to this Plateau. England was becoming too risky—the energy in Salisbury was not as strong as it once was, presumably because of the growing population and advances in technology. Avalon could have been compromised. So, the Protector at the time used her power to move Avalon to this Plateau, which was the place of greatest energy. However, the movement of Avalon had a side effect. It acted like a magnet, attracting all different types of energy to this place to co- exist. That caused a shift in the balance—one that is not easily adjusted. Part of the problem is also negative energy in your world as well. The Great War did much damage to the balance, as much of the negative energy it created gravitated here. A few weeks ago, the balance was almost lost. But Veronica invoked the power of the Goddess by using the Protectors' symbol—the Trion. That has temporarily restored the balance. However, it cannot last forever. If the balance is not restored now, the Plateau will slowly start to deteriorate, and the future Protectors will have to struggle to keep it from falling apart. I do not know how long they would be able to hold it together. Only Arthur can restore the balance. It is his time to reign again. Only this time, he will not reign in Camelot. He will reign in Avalon.
"This brings me to your part in this. As I stated, the Protectors are descendants from the line of Arthur's sisters. Veronica and I are no exception to this. That is why Veronica was able to invoke the power of the Triple Goddess. It is in her blood—part of her heritage. Veronica, you represent the present time. You, like Morgause, are the mother aspect of the Triple Goddess. Finn, you are a child of the future...a future descendant of Arthur. Technically, you do not exist in this time, but by a miracle, you are here. That means that you take Elaine's place as the maiden. As for you, Marguerite, I should tell you that Morgaine was the most powerful of Arthur's sisters. She has been reincarnated many times through the years. Marguerite, the body of the Druid priestess in the cave was not you...not exactly. It was Morgaine in one of her previous lives. Each of her incarnates has one similar trait—a birthmark. Marguerite, you have that birthmark. You are Morgaine reincarnated. And whether you realize it or not, you are the most powerful of any of her previous lives. You represent the past, and are therefore the crone in the Triple Goddess. This has been your destiny—all of you. The prophecy said that we would know when it was Arthur's time again when Morgaine's life force and the Protectors' blood line met up with the Child of Hope. Finn and Marguerite have transcended time, while Veronica has maintained stability.
"As for the men, none of you are part of Arthur's bloodline. You are destined for this quest because you each embody an important trait—traits that were also embodied by people who were important in Arthur's life. Professor Challenger, you were chosen based on your intelligence. You truly are the greatest mind of your time, just as the magician, Merlin, was the greatest mind of his time.
"Roxton, you were chosen because you are pure of heart, just as Sir Galahad was pure of heart. Galahad was the knight who retrieved the Grail for Arthur—he could only do so because he was pure of heart—he would do anything for God and country. You embody that kind of loyalty, that purity of heart, Roxton. You would have given your life in exchange for your brother's if you had the chance.
"Ned, you were chosen because of your courage, just as Sir Lancelot was courageous. Lancelot had faults, but his bravery made him one of the most celebrated knights ever to sit at the round table. Until recently, you didn't realize your bravery, but it has always been there. You proved yourself in the Great War. Though you were just a correspondent, when you were put in a dangerous situation, you did not run from it. You accepted the dangers in order to deliver important information to the British.
"Now, to explain the timing. Even after all of you were brought together, you still needed time to grow. Veronica, you needed to learn to trust these people. You had been on your own for too long. You had to learn to work together with others, instead of in solitude. Marguerite, you needed time to learn the art of selflessness. Morgaine has always been a very powerful woman, able to depend only on herself. You needed to overcome that and soften your heart towards others—learn to act with feeling and not just on your natural, self-serving instinct that is a centuries-old part of your character. Finn, you needed to be found, and once you came here, you needed to adjust to this world—to overcome the horrors that you experienced in your own time. Challenger, you needed time to learn to accept that science is not the be-all, end-all. That there are some things out there that cannot be explained or fixed with science—that there is magic in the world. Roxton, you needed time to overcome your guilt, and to realize that you deserve happiness. Malone, you needed time to realize your inner courage. Overcoming your downfalls have made you all stronger. And you will need that strength for your quest.
"I can finally come to the point and tell you the quest. You are to find and bring back the Holy Grail. As you may know, the Grail was used at the Last Supper, and then again to collect the blood and sweat of Christ. It was in the possession of Joseph of Arimathea. The Grail was believed to have been a cup, but many speculated that it might be other things, among them, a crown—one that covers the entire head, and would therefore be able to hold liquid. Those speculators were in fact correct. The Grail is a crown...one that will be worn by the one who will become King Arthur.
"This will not be an easy task, but without the Grail, Arthur cannot be restored. Arthur spent many years searching for the Grail. He did not know why he was so drawn to it. The truth is he did not need it in that lifetime. He needs it now. When Arthur's body was sent to Avalon, the women of Avalon performed a ritual with the Grail. They sent his spirit into it. Whoever finds the Grail and wears it will wield Arthur's power. But, there is only one who is destined for this. Many of Mordred's line, the evil side of Arthur's line, have tried to acquire the Grail, including Vordred and Mordren. If they would have succeeded, they would destroy the world by abusing Arthur's power. The women knew that Mordred and his line would look for the Grail, so they sent it into hiding, with many obstacles that could only be overcome by those in the prophecy. However, that does not stop Mordred's descendants from trying. And even after all of the efforts that have been taken, they may still be able to succeed. You will need to make sure that the Grail does not fall into the wrong hands.
"This is the last piece of the puzzle. The person who is destined to take Arthur's place, the person who is meant to wear the Grail, is here in Avalon. He is living in a cottage on the other side of the grounds, among beautiful gardens. He came to us in much the same way that Arthur came to the women centuries ago. He arrived on a wooden raft, floating down the river. He had gone over a waterfall, but unlike Arthur, he was alive, though barely. The Avatars administered medicine and nursed him back to health. For many months, he was in and out—struggling between this world and the next. He has been here for a little over two years now, and is completely healthy again. The man who is destined to reign over Avalon is Arthur Summerlee."
[A/N: ok, so you probably saw that one coming a mile away, but I'm going to cliff-hang it nonetheless. As I said, the next chapter will be reactions, both during and after that big long speech. Also, within the next four chapters, look for two old friends to return. You already know about Summerlee....the second is a surprise. ]