- The disclaimer is in chapter 1 if you're looking for it.
-To everyone who reviewed, thank you so much.
Chapter 2
Ned walked out of Mr. Avigdon's office with a smile on his face. His hard work had finally paid off. Now he could buy that ring for Veronica. The thought of marriage had often crossed his mind as he traveled on the plateau. Looking back, the choices he made in the past finally made sense. If there was anyone he could image spending his life with, it was not Gladys.
"Good morning, Neddy" her smile was almost seductive, but his mind was elsewhere.
"Good morning Gladys" he replied politely.
"Where is Miss Layton?".
"Veronica is helping Marguerite and Lady Roxton plan the wedding".
"Your lunch, sir" the young man wheeled in the cart and Ned felt his stomach growl. This was definitely not raptor meat and poached pterodactyl eggs.
"Join us, Ned?".
"It smells delicious, but I have errands to run and I promised Veronica a tour of London tonight, excuse me".
"He would have made a fine son-in-law" Henry strongly criticized his daughter.
"How was I supposed to know how he would turn out?" she demanded.
"I suppose he will be proposing to Miss Layton soon".
"Not if I can help it".
There was one thing that Gladys was good at and that was men. She would have Ned Malone and the jungle princess would return to the savage jungle where she belonged.
Back at Roxton's London townhouse, Marguerite was trying on wedding gowns with Veronica and Lady Roxton.
"You look beautiful, Marguerite" Lady Roxton couldn't help but admire the woman who would soon be her daughter in law. Years ago, she would have convinced John otherwise, but seeing how happy they were together, there was no point in objecting.
"It won't be the first time I'm wearing a wedding dress".
"On or off the plateau?" Veronica joked, remembering their encounter with the boy king and his mini Camelot.
Lady Roxton looked shocked for a moment, but decided to let it go. Considering Marguerite's previous reputation and the stories John related to her, nothing surprised her at this point.
Veronica yawned, her dreams kept her tossing and turning, when she finally fell asleep, it was too short.
"Are you all right, my dear?".
"Fine, Lady Roxton, I've not been sleeping too well".
"Perhaps you would prefer a different room or Mary could change the mattress".
"No, I just need to go to bed a little earlier".
Later that night, Veronica poked her head into the study as Marguerite poured over the books".
"I'm going to bed, good night".
"Ok, good night".
"Cook thought some warm milk might help you sleep and I changed the mattress as Miss Krux instructed".
"Thank you, Mary, good night".
"Good night, Miss Layton".
As she fell asleep, the dream started again.
Avalon was destroyed, hundreds of thousands dead and wounded as an evil force took over the Plateau. Finn lay dead, her own arrow stuck in her chest, blood pooling around her lifeless body, her face frozen in shock. The Protector was in chains, bloody and bruised.
"Where is she?" the dark figure commanded.
"You will never find her".
"I will ask you one more time, woman, where is your daughter?".
"She is where she needs to be" Abigail remained proud.
"Kill her" the dark figure commanded.
Two henchmen stepped forward.
"On second thought, we'll need her to find her daughter, let her live for now, put her with the other prisoners".
The henchman started to drag her away, but they were called back.
"Until you reveal where your daughter is, we will kill one person per day".
The maid fell dead, blood pouring out of the wound.
"Put her on pyre with the rest".
Abigail fought back tears, Leah had been with her since she ascended the throne nearly 25 years ago, they had seen good and bad times together.
Abigail was dragged down the dungeons, where for the first time, she cried.
"Mother!" Veronica woke up with a start. Looking around her room, she sighed and fell back asleep, praying that she could finally get some sleep.
"Good morning Miss Layton" she was greeted by Mary hours later.
"Good morning, Mary".
"How'd you sleep?" Marguerite asked as breakfast was served.
"Ok".
"Did you have that dream again?".
"Yea, it was probably nothing more. I probably miss the plateau, that's all" Veronica attempted to push the dream out of her mind, but something about it just made it stick in her mind.
"What was that?" a crash was heard outside.
"The statue in garden fell, it was just the wind. I'll send someone to clean it up" Daniel informed them.
"But the weather is clear".
Both women disregarded it, returning to their breakfast and discussing the day's plans.
No one noticed the black cloud hovering near the broken statue.
Dum, dum, dum. Please, please, please send a review, please?