Okay, so I'm testing the water further with this story. I really like the idea of it but I'm still not sure if I wanna continue with it. So this is me just trying it out and seeing if I like it enough or if anyone else enjoys it. I kind of have a plan for this story set up? Which is really fucking weird for me because I almost NEVER have a plan for my stories except for, like, two of them which was Fully Human and A Place I Used To Know. Which are, again ironically, two of my other stories for this fandom. What is up with Trollhunters and actually making me think things out? I don't like this side of me. XD
Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
I looked over the three young lasses as they still stared at me as if I was a figment of their imagination. I looked down at my attire. I knew it wasn't the best of my clothing, but the thing I did before being put to sleep was the occasional training that Merlin put me through. I adjusted my tunic so it didn't cling to my chest as much.
"You ladies do know that it is rude to stare. I know I'm not in my coat and vest, but I know I'm graced more than most." That was when the one that was now hiding behind her friend further away from me started to speak.
"This isn't happening. First Claire and that amulet, then those trolls, and now there's this weird Sleeping Beauty knight dude that claims he knows the guy that made that stupid amulet!? What else? A wizard is going to give me an envelope telling me I can go to Hogwarts? Might as well give me a damn owl while you're at it!" I tilted my head at the girl as she ran her hands through her hair. The one she was hiding behind put her hands on her shoulders.
"Calm down Mary, everything is alright. Okay?" She looked back over to me. "So you're the knight of Merlin? The guy that made the Amulet of Daylight?"
"Yes."
"How old are you?"
"I'm sixteen. I've been a squire for six. A pledged knight for four." I watched as the three of looked at each other before the one that was questioning me looked me in the eyes with a sad wave behind the brown orbs.
"What year were you born?"
"I was born the ninth full moon of 1721." The one that was speaking earlier looked at me as if I was a ghost.
"You've been alive for nearly three hundred years!?" I looked to her the same as she did me.
Three hundred years? Has it truly been that long? What year was it now?
I felt my heartbeat within my ears as I sat back down on my little stone altar. "It's been three hundred years? How could this be?" I looked at all of them. "What year is it now?" Claire was the one to reply.
"It's 2017. The thirteenth of September." I looked at her with clear disbelief. "We wouldn't lie to you. James, was it?" I nodded my head in reply. "I'm Claire. I'm the first human Trollhunter. The wielder of the Amulet of Daylight. These are my friends, Mary and Darci. We came here because we were told there was a weapon here that could help us defeat Bular. We're just as surprised as you are within this moment. How about you come with us?" I watched as her friends looked to her as if she belonged within a straight jacket. "What? You expect me to leave him here? He's been alone here for three centuries. Someone is going to need to teach him the new ways of life and no one else around here is going to be less surprised by the fact that he's not dead." She gave me a smile before continuing back on topic. "There is a place we can take you to be safe. We must warn you though, the world has changed a lot during your slumber." I let her words ring within my head before I gave her a soft nod in reply. I stood fully once more and grabbed my little metal box that held my armor. I placed it within my pocket before looking over them once more.
"I do have a question then if you do know of the trollish kind." Claire looked at me with a face that just said to ask her right away. "Do you know that of Blinky and Vendel. I surely wish each are well. Seeing as you are the Trollhunter as you say, I know then that Deya is no longer with us." She gave me a nod.
"How about we take you there to see for yourself?"
"And take the sword-wielding knight boy into plan daylight as he's dressed as if he's going to a larping event? Are you crazy?!" I watched as Claire rolled her eyes as she dropped a small bag onto the ground and pulled out something of black cloth.
"No, which is why he's going to wear this and I'm going to place whatever I can hide of his sword in my bag. If you're okay with that, that is." She put her hand out to me with the cloth within it. "It's a hoodie. It goes over your arms like a coat and has a zipper on the front." I placed the cloth over my shoulders and noticed what she meant by what she called a zipper. I fiddled with it for a second before she came closer and took the bottom of the cloth with her hands. "May I?" I nodded and watched as she connected the ends together and pulled on the little metal like flipper to close the garment.
"This guy is going to be like raising a grown toddler." I heard the other girl, Darci, snicker at Mary's comment. I watched Claire roll her eyes before she put her hand out to me once more.
"Do you care if I take your sword for a bit? They're not as common anymore to be on just anyone. They are oftentimes used for decoration instead of just to protect yourself. It'll look suspicious within our day and age for you to have it, so I have to hide it the best I can." I hesitated, but I took my scaffold's belt off and handed it to her. "I know, it's difficult, but I promise I'll be careful. I remember our history teacher said that often times these were carried down the bloodline in your time, right?" I nodded my head.
"It was my father's."
"Then I'll take extra care of it." I watched her closely as she placed it almost completely within her bag, but the handle stuck out. So she put her hand back into the bag and grabbed out another cloth which she used to cover the handle's shape from sight. "See? No one will see it." She looked back to me with a smile and held out her hand as if to show me off. "And he looks a little more normal with the hoodie. The pants now just look like their overly formal sweat pants. The boots still clash though. We can deal with that later."
"You better have a way to deal with all of this, Claire."
"I'm the Trollhunter. I've dealt with difficult stuff for a while now, Darci. Now, let's go to Troll Market. It seems our new friend here has people that must have missed him."
Before we arrived at Troll Market, I realized how much time had truly past as we walked the streets. The lights were longer powered by flame, there were metal boxes on wheels that now roamed the streets, and almost every person was dressed in the same clothing like that of Claire, Darci, and Mary. It amazed me. Especially the lights and buildings. They were more magnificent than I remembered. When I last walked these roads, they were made of dirt and walked by horses. Now, they were paved by tar, as Claire explained, and driven on my cars.
It was beautiful, to say the least.
Even the bridge that leads to Troll Market had changed. It was no longer that of a wooden bridge that the small village had made by hand, but now from cement. I could guess that my looks gave away my amazement as we continued our way down to the little valley under the bridge as Mary re-announced her earlier remark.
"Yep. Defiantly like walking around a grown toddler." Once we made it down to Troll Market, I felt more at ease. The last time I had seen the troll's inhabitants, I had been merely over the age of sixteen. It was months before the war and it was when I was asked by Merlin to announce his plans to kill Morgana for once and for all. Vendel didn't take to kindly to the idea that Merlin wanted to use the approaching hopeful end to the war against the Gum-Gums as a way to lure Morgana out of hiding, but he knew as well that Merlin did not listen to another living being all too well. Especially trolls. But for me, I felt as if all life was worth fighting for. That they had every right to be frustrated with the aging wizard.
But I owed the bastard my life. I had to do what I could to repay the debt.
I cringed at the memory and it rewarded me a worried look from Claire, but I was too deep into thought to care at the moment.
"Your father was a fine man, James." I rubbed my eyes from the tears as I looked up to Merlin after he placed his hand upon my shoulder. "He would be proud of you. Fighting for the innocent. Carrying his sword with honor. Your mother too. A fine woman as well. A good sorceress with a good heart. She would be here if she could, my boy. I know that for truth." I sniffled as the wizard gave me a small smile. "But for now, how about I make you my squire? I will take care of you for you taking care of some small things for me, be a knight in training. I promise to feed and clothe you well. What do you say, my boy? Want to continue your father's legacy?" I rubbed my nose and gave Merlin a determined look with a short nod.
"Very well then. I will decree you, James of Lake, son of the Lady of the Lake, as my squire. You will be the knight of Merlin. May you live long and do well."
I didn't notice I was staring at the Heart Stone until I heard a familiar voice come near.
"I didn't believe the Trollhunter when she had said she had found you, James, but now I see you with my own eye." I turned around to see Vendel standing strong. His Heart Stone cane in hand. He didn't seem to change much from the last time I saw him. The only outlier was the fact of the smile upon his face that I never saw on the elder troll before. "Welcome back to Troll Market, the young knight of Merlin. I see you haven't aged since we last spoke, how so?"
"My mother put me under her magic before the Battle of Killahead. She did not desire for Merlin to use me to get to Morgana. She said that if I was supposed to awake again it would be at her will or due to her death, but here I am now. Her mark still upon my skin but her nowhere in sight." I held out my arm, lifting the 'hoodie' sleeve to show the Celtic mark she left there.
"I see. The Motherhood Knot, if I am not mistaken." I nodded my head. "She must still be alive then. I wonder where the young witch will be? She must not be far if she was able to awaken you." I shrugged my shoulders at the remark. "It is good to see you, young knight. We thought the worst when we heard of your disappearance."
"It must have been my mother's little secret then. I could understand though. Merlin would have lost his head if he knew I was still alive before the battle. I bet he would have tried anyway he could to force the truth from my mother." I smiled as Vendel laughed. It seemed to surprise some of the seemingly younger trolls around him.
"Merlin try to force Barbara to speak? The Lady of the Lake has always been known to be of strong will. I doubt he could have gotten anything out of her. All-powerful protector of worlds or not." I felt my smile widen at his statement. "But most of you Lakes have always been that way." I frowned slightly as I watched Vendel lower his head slightly. "I'm still sorry for your lost, young one. Your father was a powerful warrior. A strong believer in a joint world between troll kind and humanity. A brave man to say the least." I sighed and gave the elder a smile.
"Thank you, Vendel. It is nice to hear that from someone besides my mother or Merlin." He laughed once more until another voice had appeared.
"Great Scott! When Fair Claire had told me of your arrival, didn't believe it. Yet here you are! How have you been, Master Lake?" I smiled as I was crushed by all four of Blinky's arms.
"As well as anyone could after being asleep for three hundred years." Blinky pulled back and gave me a glance over.
"Three hundred years of slumber? How so?"
"I just got done explaining to Vendel that my mother put me to sleep before the Battle of Killahead. She did not wish for Merlin to use me against Morgana. She said I would awake at her will or due to her death, but here I am. She marked me before I was put under to tell if she was still alive, but it is still upon my skin." I showed him the same way I did to Vendel. "Your Trollhunter and her friends were the ones that greeted me when I awoke."
"Is that so?" Blinky grabbed a hold of my arm with two of his hands as another scratched his head and another stroke his chin. I listened to him hum before looking back up to me. "With my history of magical markings upon beings, I must hypothesize that she must be within Arcadia still then. Maybe she is living among the mortals? She had grown accustomed to it during your father's lifetime since he himself was a mortal." I smiled at Blinky when he glanced back up to me.
"Thank you, Blinky. I will take that into consideration. But last I knew, Claire said that I must be introduced into the new world before I can walk around freely on my own. I believe that is why she and her friend had brought me here."
"That makes sense. It has been many centuries since I last saw you. I have noticed that the human race had advanced much more than I had last seen." At that moment, Claire, Darci, and Mary at joined in on the small circle we had created.
"These are for you." Claire had placed a pile of clothing within my hands. "They're some clothes I went to steal from my dad's high school box. They looked like they would fit you." I nodded my head as she spoke. "We don't have any idea yet on what to do with the whole, re-entering society thing, but we're planning it out. We'd like to just sit you down and see what you know first school wise and things like that before we go any further."
Blinky put one of his hands in the air with a finger pointing up as the rest of his hands went behind his back. "May I make a suggestion?" Claire looked to him with a smile. "What's your thoughts, Blinky?" Blinky smiled before putting my forearm out before the three girls to show the marking upon my skin. "This was placed on him by his mother. She's a powerful witch. For this mark to stay on his skin, it takes for her to be alive and nearby. I would say a good thing to do is to look for her. Maybe she can help." Each of my fellow human's eyes went wide after that remark.
"So, you're like half-human? Or something?"
"I'm what my time called a muggle. A half breed between from a wizard and human. As of what my kind can do, it is different for each one of us. For me, I'm mainly immune to magic. I can use certain types like teleportation and most of the basics, but I would have to be trained to reach anywhere near a normal warlock's level. I am mortal, but I heal faster than most. I can be close to death one day, then the next I can walk the streets as if nothing had happened."
Mary put her hands at the roots of her hair once again after I finished speaking. "Alright, before we do anything, is there anything else we need to know about you? Can you turn into a bat or some shit? This blindsiding magic stuff is really wearing me out, man."
I smirked at her as I pulled my small box out of my pocket and placed the clothes Claire has given me on the floor. "Well, there is this." I put the box upon my heart and in a flash, my body was concealed with armor. It was a dark misty blue with silver hues in between the metal plates. With a snap of my fingers, a helmet appeared within my hands that was the same shade and glow as the rest. I placed it down by my hip as I placed a hand upon my heart. "My armor is the original design for the amulet. Except for mine does not call for another wielder. It was made specifically for my father by Merlin and then edited for myself. It was not made the same as he did the amulet." I cringed at the memory of watching Merlin place Morgana's hand within the boiling pot that was laced with potions to keep the magic from draining from the substance. I was young at the time and did not quite know yet what the making of the amulet had done.
"Whoa. So now there is two magical armor-wearing and sword swinging teenagers in Arcadia." I chuckled lightly at Mary as my armor disappeared back into the small little box and placed it back into my pocket.
"I guess so."
"But wait, if your mom is alive and here in Arcadia, is there anything that you might know that would lead us to her?" I placed a hand on my chin and my other across my chest to place it on my bicep.
"I cannot be for sure, but I do know that my mother had always gone by the name Barbara. Having it spelled a specific way for centuries. She was always called the Lady of the Lake as well. Especially after her marriage to my father whose sir name was Lake." I looked up to Claire to see realization struck her immediately.
"Doctor Lake!"